President Donald Trump’s Wednesday night address to the nation included a series of claims about the US economy, the Iran conflict, and historic policy decisions, many of which have been challenged or debunked by fact-checkers.

Economic record misstated

Trump claimed that the US was “dead and crippled” under the previous administration and that he had transformed it into “the hottest country anywhere in the world by far, with no inflation.”

However, economic data tell a different story. In 2024, American GDP grew 2.8% — faster than most wealthy nations— while inflation, measured by the consumer price index, remained at 2.4% in February, above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

Last year, US economic growth decelerated, partly because the 43-day federal government shutdown slashed growth from October through December. Nor has inflation vanished.

Exaggerated ‘regime change’ in Iran

Trump asserted that Iran’s leadership had undergone de facto regime change after US and Israeli strikes killed top figures, leaving “a new group [that] is less radical and much more reasonable.”

Experts say this misrepresents the situation: Iran installed Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the deceased Supreme Leader, who is widely considered hard-line, while the Revolutionary Guard’s influence has grown. Civilian authorities remain largely intact.

Both the Trump regime and Israel had indicated plans to encourage the Iranian population to rise against their government during the conflict, but such uprisings have yet to materialise.

Inflated death toll from protests

Trump also claimed that 45,000 protesters were killed in recent unrest in Iran.

Fact-checkers report confirmed deaths at around 7,000, though restrictions make precise verification difficult.

Iran officially reported 3,117 deaths. Trump provided no evidence for his higher figure.

US energy independence overstated

The president said the US is “totally independent of the Middle East” and “doesn’t need their oil.”

While the US is the world’s top oil producer and imports only a fraction from the Gulf, global oil prices remain highly sensitive to Middle East tensions.

US benchmark crude has risen over 50% since the Iran war began, pushing average gasoline prices above $4 per gallon.

Obama-era payments misrepresented

President Trump claimed “record-setting investments coming into the United States, over $18 trillion.”

However, the figure has no supporting evidence and is likely exaggerated; official figures suggest closer to $10.5 trillion, some from prior administrations.

He also repeated the claim that former president Barack Obama “gave Iran $1.7 billion in cash,” ignoring that it was a settlement of a decades-old claim, not a gift.

Fact-checkers note that Trump’s address contained repeated mischaracterisations on both domestic and foreign policy, raising questions about the accuracy of his public statements.