We look at a half dozen of Trump’s most consequential pledges – ones that he said would happen immediately — and the progress Trump has made toward fulfilling them.
Stories by Alan Jaffe
Trump’s Misleading Promotion of ‘Clean’ Coal
While presenting a series of executive orders conceived to increase electricity generation from coal, President Donald Trump misleadingly suggested that environmental regulations were to blame for the industry’s decline, wrongly said that coal plants are being opened “all over Germany,” and misleadingly, and repeatedly, referred to coal as “clean.”
Legal Scholars Dispute Constitutional ‘Loophole’ for a Third Trump Term
President Donald Trump said in a March 30 interview that “there are methods” for him to serve a third term in the White House, and a Daily Mail article referred to a “loophole” in the 22nd Amendment that would make it possible. But legal experts told us the “loophole” legal argument is “implausible” and “defeats the clear intent” of the amendment.
Viral Posts Share Phony ‘Leaked’ Audio of Vance Criticizing Musk
Vice President JD Vance has said White House adviser Elon Musk has made “mistakes” in his work with the Department of Government Efficiency. But social media posts are sharing what experts said is a manipulated audio clip that purports to be Vance making much harsher remarks about Musk. The vice president’s spokesperson called the clip “100% fake.”
Posts Fabricate Claims About Trump’s Response to Duterte’s Arrest
In 2017, President Donald Trump expressed admiration for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drug suspects. But social media posts have falsely claimed that Trump has ordered Duterte’s release from the International Criminal Court, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity. We could find no response from Trump regarding Duterte’s arrest.
Study Focused on Feminine Hygiene Products, Not Transgender Men
The Department of Agriculture announced the cancellation of a $600,000 grant to study the development of feminine hygiene products made of natural fibers. The USDA, Department of Government Efficiency and social media posts misleadingly claimed the study was of “menstrual cycles in transgender men.” The university behind the study said it was focused on making safer products to “benefit all biological women.”
White Nationalist Group Is Still Active, Contrary to Social Media Claims
Social media posts, some pointing to comments by podcaster Joe Rogan, are spreading unsupported claims that members of the Patriot Front are federal agents and that the group disbanded after the recent leadership change at the FBI. But days after Kash Patel was confirmed as FBI director, the Patriot Front had two public rallies, and its website refutes the claims.
FactChecking Trump’s Address to Congress
Posts Spread False Claim About DOGE Halting Supposed Obamacare ‘Royalties’
Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency have been tasked by President Donald Trump with slashing federal spending. But social media posts falsely claim that as part of that effort, DOGE stopped “royalties” to former President Barack Obama related to the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. The claim came from a satirical website.