The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has been the stage for some of the most discredited speeches given by former President Donald Trump. Throughout his lengthy addresses at this event, he has regaled friendly crowds with numerous false claims that have been debunked on multiple occasions. In his CPAC speech on Saturday, Trump repeated over a dozen previously refuted statements, some of which we will fact-check below:
1. The Invasion of Iraq
Trump claimed that he had warned the US against invading Iraq before the conflict began, stating, “I used to say a long time ago, ‘Don’t go into Iraq. Don’t do it! But I was only a civilian, so I didn’t get that much press.’ I said, ‘Don’t go into Iraq, but if you’re going to do it, keep the oil.’”
However, factual evidence contradicts this claim. Trump did not publicly oppose the invasion of Iraq before it began in 2003, as evidenced by his book “The America We Deserve” and interviews from that time. He did criticize the war after it started but failed to propose any opposition beforehand. Furthermore, there is no evidence supporting Trump’s claim about keeping Iraq’s oil.
2. The Nord Stream 2 Pipeline
Trump asserted, “I ended Nord Stream,” referring to the natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. However, this claim is false since Nord Stream 2 was not halted during his presidency and continued to be constructed after he left office.
3. The 2020 Election
Trump falsely claimed that the 2020 election was “rigged” and that his opponents “cheated like dogs.” However, numerous investigations and recounts have proven that there was no widespread voter fraud or election manipulation in the 2020 election. Biden won fair and square, securing more electoral votes than Trump.
4. Indictments against Biden and Trump
Trump stated, “He indicted me,” referring to President Joe Biden. He also accused Biden of ordering “Stalinist show trials.” However, there is no evidence that Biden ordered Trump’s indictments or civil trials. The indictments against Trump were brought by grand juries and investigations led by local district attorneys in Manhattan and Fulton County, Georgia.
5. Comparing Indictments to Al Capone’s Indictments
Trump claimed that he had been indicted more than infamous gangster Al Capone, stating, “I’ve been indicted more than Alphonse Capone.” However, this claim is false. Trump has been indicted a total of four times, while Capone was indicted at least six times, with thousands of individual counts.
6. Trump’s Role in Minneapolis National Guard Deployment
Trump asserted that he had deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during the unrest following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, stating that “I wish I didn’t wait six days” to do so. However, this claim is false. Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz was the one who ordered the deployment of the Minnesota National Guard in response to the unrest.
7. The Magnitude of Border Wall Construction under Trump
Trump claimed that “We built 571 miles of border wall,” which is a significant exaggeration. According to an official report by US Customs and Border Protection, a total of 458 miles was built under Trump’s presidency.
8. The Origin of the Term “Caravans”
Trump stated that he coined the term “caravan,” referring to groups of migrants traveling together toward the US border. However, this is not true; the word had been used by various others in the same context before Trump’s tweets on the issue.
9. Defeating ISIS under Trump’s Leadership
Trump repeatedly claimed that he defeated ISIS in “four weeks,” which is an overstatement. The caliphate was declared fully liberated more than two years into Trump’s presidency, in 2019.
10. Biden’s Indictment of Trump
Trump claimed that Biden had ordered his indictment, but there is no evidence to support this assertion. The indictments against Trump were brought by grand juries and special counsel Jack Smith.
11. Comparing Indictments of Al Capone and Trump
Trump stated that “I’ve been indicted more than Alphonse Capone,” but this is not accurate. Capone faced at least six indictments, while Trump has been indicted four times.
12. Trump’s Role in Deploying the National Guard to Minneapolis
Trump claimed that he deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during the unrest following George Floyd’s death, but this is false. Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz made that decision, and Trump’s involvement came after the fact.
13. The Length of Border Wall Construction under Trump
Trump claimed to have built 571 miles of border wall, but this is an exaggeration. An official report by U.S. Customs and Border Protection states that 458 miles were built under Trump, including both new wall and replacing existing barriers.
14. Trump’s Coining of the Term ‘Caravans’
Trump stated that he came up with the term ‘caravans,’ but this is not true. The term had been used for years before Trump adopted it in 2018 to describe groups of migrants traveling together towards the U.S.-Mexico border.
15. Defeating ISIS in Four Weeks
Trump frequently claims that he defeated the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group in four weeks, but this is not true. The caliphate was declared fully liberated more than two years into Trump’s presidency, and he received significant credit from the military but did not single-handedly accomplish this feat.
16. Electric Vehicle Mandate under Biden
Trump claimed that Biden mandated that “everybody has to have an electric car,” but this is false. While the Biden administration has made aggressive pushes towards electric vehicles, there is no requirement that every American citizen owns one.
17. US Trade Deficit under Biden
Trump erroneously claimed that the United States has a $2 trillion deficit under Biden, but this figure is an enormous exaggeration. The US trade deficit was approximately $773 billion in 2023.
18. Trump’s Threat to China over Iranian Oil Purchases
Trump asserted that he had threatened China with cutting off all US business if they purchased even “one barrel of oil from Iran,” but this claim is false. China’s oil imports from Iran did not cease under Trump, and there is evidence that China continued to import Iranian crude during this period using various tactics to mask the purchases.
19. Minneapolis National Guard Deployment
Trump claimed that he deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis in 2020 over the objections of Democratic Governor Tim Walz, but this claim is false. In reality, it was Walz who ordered the deployment of the Minnesota National Guard during the unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd.
20. Border Wall Construction Progress
Trump boasted about building “571 miles” of border wall, but this claim is an exaggeration. According to official reports, approximately 458 miles of new wall or replacement barriers were constructed under Trump’s presidency.
21. Origin of the Term “Caravans”
Trump stated that he coined the term “caravan,” referring to groups of migrants traveling together towards the US border, but this is not true. The word had already been used in this context by various others before Trump.
22. Defeat of ISIS
Trump claimed he defeated the ISIS terror group in just four weeks, but this is not accurate. The ISIS “caliphate” was declared fully liberated over two years into Trump’s presidency in 2019.
23. Electric Car Mandate
Trump falsely claimed that Biden had mandated “everybody” to have an electric car, but this is not the case. The Biden administration has made efforts to promote electric vehicles and incentivize their adoption.
24. US Trade Deficit
Trump exaggerated the size of the US trade deficit under Biden, stating it was “$2 trillion,” but this is not true. The overall deficit in 2023 was approximately $773 billion.
25. China and Iran Oil Transactions
Trump’s claim that China did not buy any oil from Iran during his presidency is false. Although Chinese imports did decrease in 2019, they did not stop completely and resurged before Trump left office.
26. The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has been the venue for numerous controversial speeches from former President Donald Trump, who regaled friendly crowds with false claims and misinformation. During his CPAC speech on February 25, 2023, he made a number of discredited statements that warrant fact-checking.
27. Trump’s claim that he had warned against the Iraq invasion is false; he did not publicly express opposition to the war before it occurred but began criticizing it afterward.
28. Trump’s assertion that he had ended Nord Stream 2, a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, is unfounded; the project continued after he left office.
29. Trump’s allegations of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election are baseless; there is no evidence to support his claims that the election was rigged or that opponents cheated.
30. Trump’s statements about himself being indicted more than Al Capone and Biden ordering his indictments are false; he has been indicted four times, and Biden did not have a role in any of them.
31. Trump’s claim that he deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during the 2020 unrest over the objections of the governor is untrue; it was actually Minnesota Governor Tim Walz who ordered the deployment.
32. Trump’s statement that he built 571 miles of border wall is an exaggeration; Customs and Border Protection reported that 458 miles were built under Trump.
33. Trump’s claim that he had personally coined the term “caravans” to describe groups of migrants traveling toward the US border is false; the word had been used previously.
34. Trump’s statement that he defeated ISIS in four weeks is an overstatement; the caliphate was declared fully liberated more than two years into his presidency.
35. Trump’s criticism of Biden’s push for electric cars is misleading; there is no requirement that “everybody” has to drive an electric vehicle.
36. Trump’s claim that the US has a $2 trillion trade deficit is a significant exaggeration; the deficit was around $773 billion in 2023.
37. Trump’s story about China and Iran not buying oil from each other when he was president is false; Chinese imports from Iran did not stop, despite appearances in official data.
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has served as the stage for numerous discreditable speeches from former President Donald Trump, characterized by their length and profusion of falsehoods. In his CPAC address on February 25, 2023, Trump once again regaled the friendly crowd with several debunked claims and some new questionable statements. Let us examine twelve of his remarks and separate fact from fiction.
Claim: Trump claimed he had warned the US against invading Iraq and advocated for keeping the oil if they were going to do so.
Fact Check: It is a false claim that Trump publicly opposed the US invasion of Iraq before it occurred. In 2000, he did not express opposition to a potential military strike against Iraq and, in fact, argued that one might be necessary. Furthermore, there is no evidence that Trump expressed the desire to keep Iraq’s oil before or during the invasion.
Claim: Trump asserted he had “ended Nord Stream 2” and “stopped it.”
Fact Check: This claim is not supported by factual evidence. Trump did approve sanctions on companies working on the project, but it was already around 90% complete when these sanctions were imposed, and Russia stated they would finish it themselves. Nord Stream 2 never began operations, and both the pipeline and its sister project, Nord Stream 1, have been halted due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
Claim: Trump alleged the 2020 election was a “rigged election” and that his opponents cheated “like dogs.”
Fact Check: The election was not rigged, and Trump’s opponents did not cheat. Joe Biden won the presidency fair and square. There was a very small amount of voter fraud, which was nowhere near sufficient to change the outcome in any state or reverse Biden’s 306-232 victory in the Electoral College.
Claim: Trump stated he had been indicted more than Al Capone and accused Biden of ordering “Stalinist show trials.”
Fact Check: There is no evidence to support Trump’s claim that he has been indicted more than Al Capone or that Biden ordered his indictments. Trump faces a total of 91 counts across his two federal indictments and two local indictments. Capone was indicted at least six times, with thousands of individual charges. The special counsel leading Trump’s cases is Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, a Biden appointee, but this does not prove that Biden was involved in the prosecution effort or that he ordered the indictments.
Claim: Trump claimed he deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during the 2020 unrest and saved the city from being “gone.”
Fact Check: This claim is false. Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz, not Trump, was the one who deployed the National Guard during the 2020 unrest in Minneapolis. The city’s leaders were Democrats, and Walz activated the Guard more than seven hours before Trump publicly threatened to do so himself.
Claim: Trump claimed he built 571 miles of border wall.
Fact Check: Trump’s claim of building 571 miles of border wall is a significant exaggeration. According to an official report by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the total number of miles built under Trump was 458.
Claim: Trump claimed he personally coined the term “caravans.”
Fact Check: Trump did not coin the term “caravan” to describe groups of migrants traveling together toward the U.S. border during his presidency. The word had been used by various others in the same context before Trump used it in a tweet in April 2018.
Claim: Trump claimed he defeated ISIS in four weeks.
Fact Check: Trump’s claim of defeating ISIS in just four weeks is not accurate. The caliphate was declared fully liberated more than two years into Trump’s presidency, and he gave himself far too much credit for the defeat, as he has before.
Claim: Trump claimed Biden mandated that “everybody” has to have an electric car.
Fact Check: Biden has not mandated that “everybody” has to own an electric vehicle, although his administration has made efforts to promote their adoption.
Claim: Trump claimed the US has a $2 trillion annual trade deficit.
Fact Check: The US has never had a $2 trillion annual trade deficit, and it does not have one under Biden. The overall deficit was about $773 billion in 2023.
Claim: Trump claimed he threatened China with cutting off all US business if they bought oil from Iran, and China didn’t buy any.
Fact Check: This claim is false. Chinese oil imports from Iran did drop significantly under Trump in 2019, but they never ceased entirely and then rose sharply again while Trump was still president. It is known that China has used tactics to mask its continued imports from Iran, such as listing Iranian crude as coming from Malaysia or transferring the oil to other ships.
Former President Donald Trump’s speeches at the Conservative Political Action Conference have been notorious for containing numerous false claims. In his most recent address to CPAC on Saturday, Trump once again regaled the friendly crowd with a lengthy and lie-filled speech filled with many of his favorite falsehoods. Here is a fact check of 12 of the most egregious claims from Trump’s speech.
Trump and Iraq:
Trump continued to perpetuate the false claim that he had warned against invading Iraq before it happened. In reality, Trump did not publicly oppose the war in Iraq until after it began, and even then, he only began criticizing it as a mistake and calling for troops to be withdrawn. There is no evidence that Trump ever warned against the invasion beforehand or advocated for keeping Iraq’s oil.
Trump and Russia:
Trump claimed that he had “ended Nord Stream 2,” the natural gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany. However, this is false as Trump did not have the power to unilaterally stop the project, which was already around 90% complete when he approved sanctions on companies working on it. The Russian state-owned gas company behind the pipeline announced in December 2020 that construction was resuming, and with days left in Trump’s term in January 2021, Germany announced that it had renewed permission for construction in its waters.
Trump and the 2020 Election:
Trump continued to spread lies about the 2020 election being rigged and his opponents cheating. However, these claims are false as Joe Biden won fair and square with a total of 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232. There was a tiny amount of voter fraud, but it was not widespread enough to change the outcome in any state, let alone reverse Biden’s victory.
Trump and Indictments:
Trump claimed that he had been indicted more than Al Capone and that Biden ordered the indictments against him. However, this claim is not supported by any evidence as the grand juries in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Washington D.C., made up of ordinary citizens, approved the indictments in each of Trump’s criminal cases. Biden had no involvement in the prosecution effort and did not order Trump to be criminally charged or face civil trials.
Trump and Minneapolis:
In his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, former President Donald Trump made several false claims. One of these was about his deployment of the National Guard to Minneapolis during the unrest following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. Trump claimed that he had deployed the National Guard over the opposition of Democratic Governor Tim Walz, but this is not true. In reality, Walz was the one who deployed the Minnesota National Guard during the unrest and did so before Trump publicly threatened to do so.
Trump and the Border Wall:
Another false claim made by Trump during his CPAC speech was about the construction of the border wall between the US and Mexico during his presidency. He claimed that 571 miles of border wall had been built, but this is a significant exaggeration. According to an official report by US Customs and Border Protection, only 458 miles of wall had been built under Trump, including both new walls where no barriers existed before and the replacement of existing barriers.
Trump and Iraq:
In his CPAC speech, Trump also repeated his longstanding claim that he had warned against the US invasion of Iraq before it happened. However, this is a false claim. While Trump did criticize the war in Iraq after it began and called for the withdrawal of troops, he did not publicly oppose the invasion before it occurred. In fact, in his 2000 book “The America We Deserve,” Trump argued that a military strike on Iraq might be necessary.
Trump and Nord Stream 2:
During his CPAC speech, Trump claimed that he had “ended Nord Stream,” the natural gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany. However, this is a false claim. While Trump did impose sanctions on companies working on the project in 2018, the pipeline was already around 90% complete at that point and Russia’s state-owned gas company said it would complete the pipeline itself. The pipeline never began operations, but it was damaged in what is believed to have been a likely act of sabotage in 2022.
Trump and the 2020 Election:
Trump continued to spread false claims about the 2020 election being rigged and his opponents cheating. However, there is no evidence to support these claims. Joe Biden won the election fair and square with a total of 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232. The tiny amount of voter fraud that did occur was not widespread enough to have changed the outcome in any state.
Trump and Indictments:
Trump claimed that Biden had ordered his indictments, but there is no evidence to support this claim. Grand juries in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Washington D.C. approved the indictments against Trump, and there is no indication that Biden was involved in any way.
Trump and Al Capone:
Trump claimed that he had been indicted more times than notorious gangster Alphonse Capone. However, this is a false claim as Trump has only been indicted four times while Capone was indicted at least six times.
Trump and Minneapolis:
Trump claimed that he had deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during the unrest following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, but this is a reversal of reality as it was Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz who deployed the National Guard, not Trump.
Trump and Border Wall:
Trump claimed that 571 miles of border wall were built during his presidency, but this is a false exaggeration. An official report by US Customs and Border Protection states that only 458 miles of wall were built during Trump’s presidency.
Trump and the Word ‘Caravans’:
Trump claimed that he came up with the term ‘caravans’ to describe groups of migrants traveling together toward the US border, but this is not true. The term had been used by various others in the same context before Trump began using it in 2018.
Trump and ISIS:
Trump claimed that he defeated the ISIS terror group in “four weeks,” but this is not true. The ISIS ‘caliphate’ was fully liberated more than two years into Trump’s presidency, in 2019.
Trump and Electric Cars:
Trump claimed that Biden is mandating that “everybody has to have an electric car,” but this is not true. While the Biden administration has made an aggressive push to promote electric vehicles, there is no requirement that everyone must drive an electric vehicle.
Trump and Trade Deficit:
Trump claimed that the US has a $2 trillion deficit, but this is a massive exaggeration. The US has never had a $2 trillion annual trade deficit and does not have one under Biden.
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has been the venue for some of former President Donald Trump’s most lengthy and lie-filled speeches, where he regaled friendly crowds with many of his favorite false claims. In his CPAC speech on Saturday, Trump repeated more than a dozen previously debunked statements, some of which are worth fact-checking.
Trump and the Invasion of Iraq:
In his speech, Trump repeated his claim that he had warned the US not to launch an invasion of Iraq and that he had said “keep the oil” if they were going to do it. However, this claim is false. Trump did not publicly express opposition to the March 2003 invasion of Iraq before it occurred. In fact, he argued that a military strike on Iraq might be necessary and did not take a firm stance against the war until after it began. Furthermore, there is no evidence that Trump ever said anything before the war about keeping Iraq’s oil.
Trump and Nord Stream 2:
In an attempt to demonstrate his toughness on Russia, Trump claimed that he had “ended Nord Stream” and that it was “over.” However, this claim is false. The pipeline never began operations, and although Trump did approve sanctions on companies working on the project, that move came after the pipeline was already around 90% complete. The Russian state-owned gas company behind the project announced in December 2020 that construction was resuming, and Germany renewed permission for construction in its waters before Trump left office.
Trump and the Election:
In a continuation of his false claims about the 2020 election, Trump asserted that it was “rigged” and that his opponents had “cheated like dogs.” However, this is simply not true. The election was fair and square, with no widespread fraud or cheating that could have altered the outcome.
Trump’s Indictments:
Trump claimed that Biden had ordered his indictments and decried supposed “Stalinist show trials.” However, this claim is not supported by any evidence. Grand juries in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Washington D.C. approved the indictments in each of Trump’s criminal cases, and there is no basis for the claim that Biden was involved in any way or ordered the indictments.
Trump vs. Al Capone:
Repeating a common campaign claim, Trump stated that he had been indicted more than the infamous gangster Al Capone. However, this is false. Trump has been indicted four times, while Capone was indicted at least six times and faced thousands of conspiracy charges.
Minneapolis:
Trump claimed that he had deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during the unrest following George Floyd’s murder, despite the fact that Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz was the one who ordered the Guard’s activation. Trump’s statement is a complete reversal of reality.
The Border Wall:
Trump boasted about building “571 miles” of border wall, but this claim is an exaggeration. According to a report by US Customs and Border Protection, only 458 miles were built under Trump’s presidency.
The Word ‘Caravans’:
Trump claimed that he came up with the term ‘caravans’ to describe groups of migrants traveling together toward the US border, but this is not true. The word had been used by others before Trump started using it during his presidency.
ISIS:
Trump continued to claim that he defeated the ISIS terror group in “four weeks,” but this is not true. The caliphate was declared fully liberated more than two years into Trump’s presidency, in 2019.
Electric Cars:
Trump falsely claimed that Biden had mandated that “everybody has to have an electric car,” but this is not the case. The Biden administration has made an aggressive push to promote electric vehicles, but there is no requirement that everyone must drive one.
Trade Deficit:
Trump’s claim that the US has a $2 trillion deficit is a massive exaggeration. The US has never had a deficit of this size, and the overall deficit under Biden was about $773 billion in 2023.
China’s Oil Purchases from Iran:
Trump claimed that China did not buy oil from Iran when he threatened to cut off US business with them if they did, but this is not true. Chinese oil imports from Iran briefly dropped during Trump’s efforts to deter such purchases in 2019 but never stopped completely. China continued to import Iranian crude using various tactics to mask the transactions.
Former President Donald Trump’s speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, March 4, was filled with numerous false claims and exaggerations. Here is a fact check of twelve of his statements, starting with Trump’s assertion about his opposition to the invasion of Iraq:
Trump and the invasion of Iraq
Trump claimed that he had warned the US not to invade Iraq years before it happened. However, this statement is false. Trump did not publicly express opposition to the March 2003 invasion of Iraq before it occurred. In fact, he argued in his 2000 book “The America We Deserve” that a military strike on Iraq might be necessary. He did not criticize the war until after it started and even called for American troops to remain in Iraq in 2004. The notion that Trump warned against invading Iraq before the invasion is a myth that has been debunked multiple times.
Trump and Nord Stream 2
Trump boasted about being tough on Russia during his presidency, claiming that he had “ended” the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany. However, this statement is also false. Trump’s administration did impose sanctions on companies working on the pipeline in 2019, but this came when the pipeline was already around 90% complete. The Russian state-owned gas company behind the project announced in December 2020 that construction had resumed, and the German government renewed permission for it in January 2021. The pipeline never began operations and was eventually halted due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
The 2020 Election
Trump repeated his false claims that the 2020 election was “rigged” and that his opponents cheated. However, there is no evidence to support these allegations. Joe Biden won the election fair and square, with a clear majority of the popular vote and an even larger margin in the Electoral College. The small amount of voter fraud that did occur was not widespread enough to change the outcome of any state or reverse Biden’s victory in the Electoral College.
Biden and Trump’s Indictments
Trump falsely claimed that Biden had ordered his indictments, likening the situation to Stalinist show trials. However, grand juries in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Washington, DC approved the indictments against Trump, and there is no evidence that Biden was involved in any way. The investigations into Trump’s actions are being led by local prosecutors, not the federal government or the White House.
Trump vs. Capone’s Indictments
Trump claimed that he had been indicted more than Al Capone, the infamous Chicago gangster. However, this is not true. Trump has been indicted four times, while Capone was indicted at least six times and faced thousands of individual counts.
Trump and Minneapolis
Trump claimed that he deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during the unrest following George Floyd’s death, despite opposition from the state governor. However, this is not accurate. Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz was the one who deployed the National Guard in response to requests from local officials. Trump’s statement is a reversal of reality.
Trump and the Border Wall
Trump boasted that his administration built 571 miles of border wall, a significant exaggeration. According to an official report by US Customs and Border Protection, the total number of miles built under Trump was 458, including both new construction and replacement of existing barriers.
Trump and the Word ‘Caravans’
Trump claimed that he coined the term “caravan” to refer to groups of migrants traveling together toward the US border. However, this is not true. The word had been used in this context by various others before Trump publicly used it in a tweet in 2018.
Trump and ISIS
Trump claimed that he defeated the ISIS terror group in just four weeks during his presidency. However, this is not accurate. The ISIS “caliphate” was declared fully liberated more than two years into Trump’s presidency, in 2019. Trump gave himself far too much credit for the defeat of the caliphate.
Electric Cars
Trump criticized Biden’s push for electric vehicles, claiming that “everybody has to have an electric car.” However, this is not true. The Biden administration has proposed new tailpipe emissions regulations for automakers and offered tax credits for people who buy certain electric vehicles, but there is no requirement that “everybody” drives an electric vehicle.
The Trade Deficit
Trump criticized the US trade deficit, claiming it was over $2 trillion under Biden. However, this is a massive exaggeration. The US has never had a $2 trillion annual trade deficit and does not have one under Biden.
China’s Oil Purchases from Iran
Trump repeated a story about China and Iran, claiming that he had threatened to cut off all US business with China if it bought even “one barrel of oil from Iran.” He claimed that China didn’t buy any Iranian oil in response. However, this is false. While Chinese imports of Iranian crude did briefly plummet under Trump in 2019, they never stopped and then rose sharply again while Trump was still president.
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has been the stage for numerous controversial speeches from former President Donald J. Trump, who has a tendency to regale friendly crowds with false claims, some of which he has repeated multiple times. In his CPAC speech on Saturday, Trump revisited more than a dozen previously debunked statements, along with some new, dubious claims that require fact-checking. In this article, we will examine twelve of his remarks and provide the facts to separate truth from fiction.
1. Trump and the Invasion of Iraq:
Trump claimed that he had warned the US not to invade Iraq and urged keeping the oil if they were going to do it. However, this claim is false. Trump did not publicly express opposition to the war before it occurred, and there’s no evidence of him advocating for oil ownership during that time.
2. Trump and Nord Stream 2:
Trump claimed that he “ended Nord Stream” and that it was “over,” but this is not true. While the US did impose sanctions on companies working on the project, construction resumed shortly after Trump’s presidency ended, and it was never operational.
3. The 2020 Election:
Trump repeated his claim that the 2020 election was rigged and that his opponents cheated. However, there’s no evidence to support these allegations. Joe Biden won the fair and square election, with a substantial margin in the Electoral College.
4. Biden’s Indictments:
Trump claimed that Biden “indicted” him and accused him of orchestrating Stalinist show trials. However, there is no evidence to support these claims. Grand juries in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Washington, DC approved the indictments against Trump.
5. Trump’s Indictments vs. Capone’s:
Trump claimed that he had been indicted more than Al Capone, but this is not true. Trump has faced a total of 91 counts across his federal and local indictments, while Capone was indicted at least six times with thousands of conspiracy charges.
6. Trump and Minneapolis:
Trump claimed that he deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during unrest over George Floyd’s murder, but this is false. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz actually deployed the National Guard, and Trump did not do so until several days later.
7. Trump and Border Wall:
Trump claimed that he had built 571 miles of border wall, but this is an exaggeration. An official report by US Customs and Border Protection states that a total of 458 miles was built during Trump’s presidency, including both new wall and wall replacement projects.
8. Trump and the Word ‘Caravans’:
Trump claimed that he coined the term ‘caravan’ to describe groups of migrants traveling toward the US border, but this is not true. The word had been used previously by various media outlets and individuals.
9. Trump and ISIS:
Trump claimed that he had defeated ISIS in four weeks, but this is not true. The Islamic State caliphate was declared fully liberated more than two years into Trump’s presidency, in 2019.
10. Electric Cars:
Trump falsely claimed that Biden had mandated that ‘everybody has to have an electric car,’ when in fact the Biden administration has only made aggressive efforts to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
11. The Trade Deficit:
Trump’s claim that the US has a $2 trillion annual trade deficit is false and an exaggeration. The overall trade deficit was approximately $773 billion in 2023, down from a record high of $951 billion in 2022.
12. China’s Oil Purchases from Iran:
Trump’s claim that China did not buy oil from Iran when he was president is false. While Chinese imports of Iranian crude did drop significantly during Trump’s effort to deter such purchases in 2019, they never ceased entirely and rebounded shortly after Trump left office.
Former President Donald J. Trump’s speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, March 4, 2023, was filled with numerous false and misleading statements. In this fact check, we will examine twelve of the most egregious claims made by Trump during his speech.
Trump’s Claim about Iraq:
Trump falsely claimed that he had warned the US not to invade Iraq before the invasion took place in 2003. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. In fact, Trump did not publicly express opposition to the war until after it began and only emerged as a critic of the war in 2004.
Facts:
The claim that Trump warned the US against invading Iraq is false. In reality, Trump did not publicly oppose the invasion before it occurred. He argued for a military strike on Iraq in his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve,” and did not express a firm position about the war in an interview with Fox News in January 2003. Trump criticized the war after it began, but he did not warn against it beforehand.
Trump’s Claim about Nord Stream 2:
Trump claimed that he had ended the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany, but this is not true. The pipeline was already around 90% complete when Trump imposed sanctions on companies working on the project in December 2020. Russia’s state-owned gas company completed the pipeline itself, and construction resumed shortly after Trump left office. The pipeline never began operations and was eventually halted due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
Facts:
Trump did not end the Nord Stream 2 pipeline or render it “over.” The pipeline was already well under construction when Trump imposed sanctions, and Russia completed the remaining portion of the pipeline itself. The pipeline never began operations and was eventually halted due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
Trump’s Claim about the 2020 Election:
Trump continued to spread false claims that the 2020 election was rigged and that his opponents cheated. However, there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud or election rigging in the 2020 election. Joe Biden won fair and square with a total of 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232.
Facts:
The 2020 election was not rigged and there was no widespread voter fraud or cheating by Biden’s campaign. Biden won the election with a total of 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232.
Trump’s Claim about Indictments:
Trump falsely claimed that he had been indicted more than Al Capone, a notorious gangster. Trump has been indicted four times, while Capone was indicted at least six times.
Facts:
Trump’s claim that he had been indicted more than Capone is false. Trump has been indicted four times, while Capone was indicted at least six times.
Trump’s Claim about Minneapolis:
Trump claimed that he had deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis during the unrest following the murder of George Floyd, but this is a falsehood. Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz deployed the National Guard before Trump publicly threatened to do so.
Facts:
Despite Trump’s claims, he did not deploy the National Guard to Minneapolis during the unrest following George Floyd’s murder. Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz had already deployed the National Guard before Trump publicly threatened to do so.
Trump’s Claim about Border Wall Construction:
Trump boasted that he had built “571 miles of border wall,” but this is an exaggeration. An official report by US Customs and Border Protection states that the total number built under Trump was 458 miles, including both new wall and replacement of existing barriers.
Facts:
Trump’s claim that he had built “571 miles of border wall” is an exaggeration. An official report by US Customs and Border Protection states that the total number built under Trump was 458 miles, including both new wall and replacement of existing barriers.
Trump’s Claim about Coining the Term “Caravans”:
Trump claimed that he came up with the term “caravans” to describe groups of migrants traveling together toward the US border. However, this is not true; the word “caravan” had been used by various others in the same context before Trump’s tweets on the issue.
Facts:
Trump did not come up with the term “caravan” to describe groups of migrants traveling together toward the US border; the word had been used by various others in the same context before Trump’s tweets on the issue.
Trump and the Invasion of Iraq:
Former President Donald Trump claimed during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that he had warned against the invasion of Iraq and urged the US to keep the oil. However, this is a false claim. Trump did not publicly express opposition to the March 2003 invasion of Iraq before it occurred and only began criticizing the war in 2003. There is no evidence that he made such a statement about keeping the oil prior to the invasion.
Nord Stream 2 Pipeline:
Trump claimed during his CPAC speech that he had “ended Nord Stream 2” and stopped the natural gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany. However, this is a false claim. Although Trump did approve sanctions on companies working on the project in 2019, the pipeline was already around 90% complete at that time and the Russian state-owned gas company behind it announced shortly after the sanctions that it would complete the pipeline itself. The pipeline never began operations, and Germany halted the project in 2022 as Russia was about to invade Ukraine.
The 2020 Election:
Trump repeated his false claims during the CPAC speech that the 2020 election was rigged and that his opponents cheated. However, this is not true. Joe Biden won the election fairly and square, with a clear majority of both the popular vote and the electoral college votes. There was a tiny amount of voter fraud that was nowhere near widespread enough to have changed the outcome in any state, let alone to have reversed Biden’s victory.
Biden and Trump’s Indictments:
Trump claimed during his speech that Biden had indicted him and that he was facing “Stalinist show trials.” However, there is no basis for this claim. Grand juries in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Washington, DC approved the indictments against Trump, and there is no evidence that Biden had any role in the prosecution efforts. The two federal indictments were brought by a special counsel, Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, but there is no sign that Biden had any involvement in the prosecutions in Manhattan or Fulton County, Georgia.
Trump vs. Al Capone’s Indictments:
Trump claimed during his speech that he had been indicted more than Al Capone, the notorious gangster. However, this is not true. Trump has been indicted four times, while Capone was indicted at least six times and faced thousands of counts.
Minneapolis:
Trump claimed during his speech
