Executive Summary
In an 18-minute prime-time address on December 17, 2025, President Trump made numerous claims about the economy, immigration, and his administration's achievements. Multiple independent fact-checkers found that several key claims were false or misleading, including assertions about inflation, migrant numbers, and investment figures.
Claim-by-Claim Analysis
Inflation has not "stopped." According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the November 2025 year-over-year rate was 2.7%, meaning prices are still rising—just less quickly than before. The Federal Reserve's target is 2%, and Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated on December 10 that "inflation remains somewhat elevated."
According to Customs and Border Protection data, 7.4 million undocumented immigrants crossed the border outside legal checkpoints during the Biden administration. Including legal port-of-entry crossings without documentation brings the total to approximately 10.2 million—still less than half of Trump's claim.
According to BLS Consumer Price Index data, egg prices are down 43.9% since March—about half of Trump's claim. The White House later clarified he meant wholesale prices, but consumer prices are what Americans actually pay. Additionally, many grocery items have increased in price, including coffee (+18.8%) and beef (+15.8%).
The White House's own website lists a figure of $9.6 trillion—nearly half of Trump's stated amount. A Bloomberg News fact-check found the real figure closer to $7 trillion when applying consistent methodology.
According to the Tax Policy Center, the average 2025 tax cut from the legislation is $800. Only the top 1% of earners (making $1.1 million+) receive average cuts exceeding $9,000. The claim is technically true only for a small fraction of wealthy Americans.
This trend began under President Biden. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, year-over-year wages have been rising faster than inflation since June 2023—well before Trump took office.
Bottom Line
President Trump's December 17, 2025 prime-time address contained multiple false and misleading claims on key economic and immigration metrics. Official government data from the BLS, CBP, and the White House itself contradicts claims about inflation being "stopped" (it's 2.7%), migrant numbers (7.4M vs. claimed 25M), egg prices (-44% vs. claimed -82%), and investment totals (~$7T vs. claimed $18T). While some claims contained grains of truth, the overall speech significantly overstated economic achievements.