President Donald Trump opened his national address Wednesday night 12/17/25 with a familiar phrase, one he’ used since returning to office nearly a year ago: “I inherited a mess.” 

In a speech that moved rapidly from economic claims to immigration, energy, housing, health care and crime, Trump painted a sweeping picture of national revival under his leadership and offered a long list of promises and boasts about the year ahead.

The 18-minute address came at a pivotal time for Trump, who faces faltering approval ratings and heightened pressure from within his own party to stabilize the economy and reconnect with frustrated voters. Public polling shows that inflation, slowed hiring and affordability remain core concerns, and many of Trump’s own advisers have urged him to sharpen his economic messaging ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Instead of outlining new policy in detail, Trump leaned heavily on declarative claims about prices, border security, the job market and his own election results. He described a country that had been “absolutely dead” before his return, and one that is now, he said, “the hottest anywhere in the world.”

Some of Trump’s achievements, like reducing illegal border crossings and supporting diplomatic efforts in Gaza, Africa and other regions, were mentioned in the speech but overstated. Other claims, like falling gas prices and rising wages, were based on real data but described in exaggerated terms. The speech combined factual and false claims with overstatement and inflated language, a pattern consistent with Trump’s past addresses. Here are five examples that were misleading.

Immigration: Trump’s ‘25 Million’ Migrant Claim Is Not Backed by Data

Trump alleged that 25 million migrants entered the U.S. under President Joe Biden, calling it an “invasion.” But U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded under 11 million total encounters during the Biden administration, including millions of expulsions. Even with the estimated 2.2 million “gotaways” cited by House Republicans, the total falls well short of 25 million.

The president also said that 11,888 “murderers” entered the country, but that figure is based on a misused statistic. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data shows about 13,000 noncitizens with homicide convictions on its docket, but that figure spans more than 40 years and includes people who are already imprisoned or deported.

Inflation: Trump Says It’s Over, But Prices Are Still Rising

Trump told Americans that he had “stopped” inflation after inheriting “the worst” in U.S. history. But government data tells a different story. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), inflation was up 3 percent in the 12 months ending in September.

That’s lower than during much of the 1970s and early 1980s, when year-over-year inflation peaked at 14.8 percent in 1980 under President Jimmy Carter. The worst recorded annual inflation was in 1920, when it hit 23.7 percent. Inflation has cooled since its 2022 peak, but it has not stopped.

Gas Prices: No State Has Reached the $1.99 Trump Claimed

Trump said gasoline had dropped to $1.99 per gallon in “three or four states.” The national average, however, was $2.94 as of mid-December, according to AAA. While some individual gas stations did advertise prices below $2 in parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi and Missouri, no state has an average anywhere near that figure.

Investment: Trump Touts $18 Trillion, but Only $9.6 Trillion Is Logged

Trump claimed his administration had secured $18 trillion in new U.S. investments since taking office. A review of the White House’s own figures, published online, shows $9.6 trillion in total investment announcements through December 10. Economists say even that number includes early stage pledges and proposals—not actual capital inflows—and shouldn’t be counted as finalized investment.

As for Trump’s claim that he enacted the “largest tax cuts in American history,” that is not supported by the record. While the 2025 tax law is substantial, it is smaller than previous tax cuts, including President Ronald Reagan’s 1981 package, which reduced taxes by about 3.5 percent of the gross domestic product.

Economy: More Workers, But Participation Is Slipping

“More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country,” Trump said. That is technically true, but mostly due to population growth. According to the BLS, the total number of employed workers has risen, but the employment-to-population ratio—a more accurate measure of labor market strength—has declined slightly, from 60.1 percent in January to 59.7 percent in September.

Where Trump Was Right, But Overstated

Not all of Trump’s claims during his national address were false. Several had a basis in real data, though many were overstated.

Egg prices have dropped sharply in 2025. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average wholesale price for a dozen large white eggs fell more than 80 percent, mostly due to stabilizing supply after the avian flu outbreak. Retail prices also fell, though less steeply. The average price for a dozen Grade A eggs dropped to approximately $3.48 in September, the lowest since November 2024.

Border crossings are down from earlier this year. Trump reinstated strict “Remain in Mexico” asylum rules and other measures that drastically reduced illegal crossings (reportedly by over 90 percent). Internal Department of Homeland Security reports showed daily border apprehensions dropped by 96 percent compared to late 2022. However, while Trump said “zero illegal aliens” have entered the country for seven months, CBP data shows that’s not accurate. Some asylum-seekers are being processed and paroled (albeit in much smaller numbers than before).

Trump also said he had “settled eight wars,” pointing to regions like Gaza, the Caucasus and parts of Africa. The U.S. has been involved in peace talks and some ceasefires—including an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan—but most of the conflicts he listed remain unresolved. None cited by Trump have been formally concluded with a peace treaty.

What Was Missing: No Word on Venezuela

Trump did not mention several major foreign policy issues during his year-end address. Many observers had expected the president to speak on Venezuela, just 24 hours after announcing a naval blockade of the country. He also did not address the war in Ukraine or the U.S. relationship with China and Russia.