A month after the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, President Donald Trump addressed the nation in a prime-time speech on April 1, saying the military operation was “getting very close” to completing its mission. Trump repeated some false and questionable claims we’ve written about before.
Locations: International
Trump Links Biden’s Ukraine Aid to Pentagon’s Iran War Funding Request
With the Pentagon potentially seeking a $200 billion supplemental package to fund the ongoing war with Iran, President Donald Trump defended that figure in part by saying U.S. ammunition “was taken down by giving so much to Ukraine.” He then exaggerated the amount of aid to Ukraine and falsely said that former President Joe Biden “didn’t rebuild anything” in the defense stockpile.
Trump’s Claim About the Obama Nuclear Deal and Iran’s Nuclear Development
President Donald Trump has claimed that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was “a road to a nuclear weapon” and the country “would be sitting with a massive nuclear weapon three years ago” if he hadn’t withdrawn the U.S. from the deal in 2018 during his first term. The multilateral deal aimed to restrict Iran’s uranium enrichment program, and experts told us that after the U.S. withdrawal, Iran accelerated it instead.
Without Providing Evidence, Trump Pins School Bombing on Iran
Multiple news outlets have reported that video, satellite images and expert analysis indicate that the United States was likely responsible for the Feb. 28 bombing of an Iranian school for young girls, contradicting President Donald Trump’s unsupported claim that the deadly strike “was done by Iran.”
WHO Didn’t Recommend Lockdowns, Contrary to Health Officials’ Suggestions
As the U.S. formally exited from the World Health Organization last month, Trump administration officials misleadingly claimed that the WHO “pushed” or “promoted” lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group did not explicitly recommend lockdowns, although it also did not advise countries not to implement them. It said it recognized that the measures might be needed in some cases.
Trump’s Selective Comparison Overstates Trade Deficit Decline
Through President Donald Trump’s first full 10 months in office, the cumulative U.S. trade deficit in goods and services was down 3.9% from the same period in 2024. His claim that he has “slashed our trade deficit by 77%” appears to compare the monthly trade deficit in January 2025 to the deficit nine months later in October.
Explaining Trump’s Claim That Venezuela ‘Stole’ U.S. Oil
President Donald Trump said one reason that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela and “indefinitely” control its oil sales is because “years ago” Venezuela “took our oil away from us” and “stole our assets.” That’s an oversimplification of what happened when Venezuela assumed greater control of its energy sector.
Trump Confirms His Disparaging Remark About ‘Shithole Countries’ at Immigration Meeting
Trump at Odds with CIA Assessment on Khashoggi Killing
President Donald Trump brushed aside a reporter’s question to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the 2018 killing of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, saying the crown prince “knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that.” But Trump’s claim is at odds with a CIA assessment.
Explaining Democrats’ Request to Restore Foreign Aid
Q: Did Democrats request funding for “climate resilience” in Honduras, “civic engagement” in Zimbabwe, and “LGBTQI+ democracy grants” in the Balkans, to end the government shutdown?
A: A Democratic proposal would restore almost $5 billion in unused funding for foreign aid that President Donald Trump let expire on Sept. 30. The proposal did not specify which international projects should receive the funds.









