Trump’s False and Misleading Claims During First Week Back in Office

Wed Jan 29 2025
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WASHINGTON: In his first week back in the White House, US President Donald Trump made a series of misleading and inaccurate claims on several policy matters, ranging from immigration figures to the 2024 election results, California water policies, and the January 6 Capitol riot.

An analysis of his statements reveals significant discrepancies between his claims and verified facts.

Inflated immigration numbers

During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump claimed that it was a “gross miscarriage of common sense” to allow 21 million people to enter the United States illegally.

Fact Check: This figure is highly exaggerated. According to data from US Customs and Border Protection, there were 10.8 million arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico between January 2021 and December 2024.

However, this number reflects total arrests, not individual people, as many crossed multiple times due to asylum restrictions, which carried no legal penalties for repeat attempts.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimated that as of January 2022, the number of undocumented immigrants living in the US was around 11 million, with 79% having entered before 2010.

Misleading claims on Hurricane Helene

During a visit to North Carolina, Trump suggested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had stopped providing temporary housing in hotels for survivors of Hurricane Helene, calling it “ridiculous.”

Fact Check: FEMA has confirmed that it continues to provide temporary housing through its Transitional Sheltering Assistance programme.

Brett Howard, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer, clarified in a statement that the programme is still operational. “We understand the great need survivors have at this time, and this programme will last as long as necessary,” he said.

While FEMA periodically reviews eligibility, it recently extended its notice period for ineligible households from seven days to three weeks, acknowledging the “extenuating circumstances” in Western North Carolina.

Misrepresents election results

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump claimed that he won the 2024 election by “millions of votes” and described his victory as a “massive mandate like hasn’t been seen in many years.”

Fact Check: While Trump secured 312 electoral votes to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 226, his margin in the popular vote was far smaller than he suggested.

According to AP VoteCast, Trump received 77,303,573 votes (49.9%), while Harris garnered 75,019,257 votes (48.4%), a difference of 2,284,316 votes. In comparison, Joe Biden had defeated Trump in 2020 by over 7 million votes.

California water policies and wildfires

Trump told Hannity that California Governor Gavin Newsom could release northern water supplies to help combat wildfires in Los Angeles, rather than letting it flow into the Pacific Ocean.

“There is massive water, rainwater, and mountain water that comes due with the snow, but they turned off the spigot from up north in order to protect the Delta smelt,” he claimed.

Fact Check: While California does regulate water flow to protect the endangered Delta smelt, Trump’s broader claim is misleading.

According to Deven Upadhyay, interim general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the state has reduced deliveries from northern California, but southern reservoirs remain at above-average levels.

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“We can deliver what our agencies need,” Upadhyay stated. Additionally, Los Angeles receives 40% of its water from state-controlled projects, but water availability is not a cause of wildfires or fire hydrant shortages.

January 6 rioters’ actions downplayed

When asked by Hannity about his decision to pardon January 6 rioters, Trump claimed they were treated like “the worst criminals in history” and that their actions were “very minor incidents.”

Fact Check: The January 6 Capitol riot involved significant violence. According to court records, rioters engaged in hand-to-hand combat with police, and many carried weapons including firearms, knives, a hatchet, a pitchfork, and a sledgehammer.

One officer was crushed in a doorframe, while another suffered a heart attack after being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun. Rioters broke into the Capitol building, ransacked offices, and attempted to breach the House chamber.

According to US Justice Department records, over 1,500 individuals were charged in relation to the riot, with about 1,100 sentenced, including a quarter for assault or physical violence.

While some protesters were only charged with misdemeanours, the event resulted in serious injuries to law enforcement officers and widespread property damage.

Despite this, Trump pardoned or commuted sentences for all 1,500+ individuals convicted in connection with the riot.

 

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