To the editor,

Politicians and leadership at about any level tend to embellish their performance, discredit those who don’t agree and ignore their areas of weakness, especially in politics. In The State of the Union address President Trump took that to the extreme even for a politician. Luckily, in a free society citizens can fact check and share their findings.  

For example, Trump said:   

He had delivered "...the largest tax cut in US History." However, as measured by % of GDP it ranks seventh since 1918, the largest to date occurred under President Reagan in 1981. (Forbes)

"Biden allowed 11,888 murderers into the country." That number is the aggregate number of murderers as compiled by US Customs and Enforcement over several decades (including Trump's first term) and refers to all noncitizen convicted murderers, most of which have been or are currently in prison

"More Americans are working now than ever." The growth of the workforce is part of population growth. A more accurate measure of the workforce growth is the percentage of unemployed workers. In 2025, the US was at a four-year high in unemployment. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Trump said "...gas averages $2.30/gal. in most states." True, gas prices are better than a year ago, but AAA and EIA report that the national average on 2/26/26 was $2.98/gal. It was $3.13 one year ago. Meanwhile, electric rates, natural gas and LP all increased in 2025. The Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) contained a subsidy of $3.5 billion/year for fossil fuel producers and included a fee decrease and deregulation relating to drilling and mining on public lands. It also repealed subsidies for wind and solar projects.

Trump said "...$18T has been pledged in trade by foreign countries."  That’s fiction. No such agreements exist. Generous adding of various vague and elusive discussions and agreements add up to about $9.7T over an unspecified time period according to the Department of the Treasury.

Trump said "…inflation under Biden was at record levels" when he [Trump] took office in 2025. The fact is it was at 2.9% in December 2024, the same as January 2026. As for the record, at the peak of the pandemic recovery period in 2022, it was 9.7%. However, post WWI 1920 inflation was 23.7% and in 1974-75 after/during the OPEC oil embargo it was 18%.

Trump said, "He inherited a stagnant economy in 2024." It was the top performing post pandemic recovery economy among industrialized countries. Furthermore, 2025's 2.2% growth under Trump was weaker than any year under Biden.

Trump claimed "... stock market growth is at all-time record levels..." According to the S&P index, stocks grew at 17.88%, in 2025. However, in 2024 stocks grew at 25.02%, in 2023 at 26.29%. During Biden's first year 2021, stocks grew 28.29% and under Trump in 2017, at 21.83%. During Biden's tenure, total growth was 75% and in Trump's first term was 67%. The best year in this century to date was 32.39% in 2013 under Obama).

Trump continues to claim that foreign countries will make the US richer due to his tariff policy and that it has taken in "trillions of dollars." The Federal Reserve Bank research indicates that American consumers and businesses are paying 90% of the tariff revenue in increased costs, thus making it a tax on Americans. The Supreme Court recently concurred. Trump's tariffs have collected $162B to date. The so called "tariff tax" cost estimates for the average American household range between $1K and $1.7K in increased costs.    

Trump claimed, "...other presidents tried but were unable to reduce drug costs..." ,  "...but I [Trump] did it!"! The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 negotiated a phased in price reduction on 64 drugs for people on Medicare and Medicaid, saving $1.4B/year for those programs. An irony is many of these saving are set to begin in 2026 which Trump is taking credit for, yet no Republicans voted for the 2022 act.

However, the most divisive and inaccurate statement made by Trump was that Democrats only win when they "cheat." There is no evidence of this at the federal or state level. Exhaustive judicial reviews have occurred throughout the country, many by judges appointed by Trump. Not one case of voter fraud that changed the result of an election has been found. Incidental fraud that was found was carried out by voters from both parties in relatively equal amounts. Trump's statements, therefore, discredit elections, the most basic function of our democracy.   

It was disheartening to see our two area representatives Tom Tiffany (R) 7th who is running for governor, and Derrick Van Orden (R) 3rd running for re-election, stand and applaud the above statements. It begs the question, were they endorsing the deceptions or simply caught up in the state of delusion?

Ron Ginsbach,

Elmwood