Former US President Donald Trump made several claims about the US economy, immigration and foreign drug trafficking during a recent interview with Politico and a rally in Pennsylvania. A review of official data and public records shows that several of these statements are inaccurate or misleading.
Inflation and the Economy
Speaking at the Pennsylvania rally, Trump said he inherited the “worst inflation in the history of the United States” from former President Joe Biden. He repeated similar remarks during his Politico interview, claiming prices were at all-time highs when he returned to office.
However, data from Factcheck.org shows this claim is incorrect. While inflation did rise during Biden’s presidency, it was not the highest in US history. Inflation reached 23.7 percent in 1920 and 14.8 percent in 1980, both far higher than recent levels. Inflation had also fallen below 3 percent in the months before Trump began his second term.
Trump also said gas prices had dropped to $1.99 per gallon in several states. According to the US Energy Information Administration, the national average gas price in November was about $3.05 per gallon. Prices vary by state, and the $1.99 figure applies only to a small number of individual stations.
Claims About Ilhan Omar
During the rally, Trump claimed that Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is in the United States illegally and repeated allegations that she married her brother to gain entry to the country.
Public records show that Omar entered the US legally as a refugee in 1995 and became a US citizen in 2000. Claims about her marriage have circulated for years but have not been supported by evidence. Omar has denied the allegations and previously provided marriage and divorce documents to the Associated Press.
Trump also said Somalia has no military, parliament or police force. This claim is inaccurate. Somalia has a federal government, security forces and a functioning parliament, although the country continues to face security challenges.
Venezuela and Drug Trafficking
In the Politico interview, Trump repeated claims that Venezuela sends large amounts of drugs into the United States. He said US military strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats save 25,000 American lives each time.
There is no publicly available data to support this figure. Since September, US strikes on boats linked to suspected drug trafficking have killed more than 80 people, according to reports. Human rights groups and analysts have questioned the lack of transparency surrounding the operations.
Conclusion
Independent fact-checking organisations and official data contradict several claims made by Trump during the interview and the Pennsylvania rally. Experts say such reviews are important as political rhetoric increases ahead of future elections.