The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has often served as a platform for former President Donald Trump’s most controversial speeches. This year’s event was no exception, with Trump repeating several previously debunked statements and introducing new questionable claims. Here’s a fact-check of some of his remarks.
Trump and the Invasion of Iraq
Trump reiterated his long-standing assertion that he had cautioned against the US invasion of Iraq. However, this claim has been proven false. Trump did not publicly oppose the March 2003 invasion of Iraq before it took place. In fact, in his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve,” Trump suggested a military strike on Iraq might be necessary. His opposition to the war only became explicit in 2004. Read more about his shifting positions here.
Trump and the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline
Trump claimed that he “ended” the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany. This claim is false. While Trump did approve sanctions on companies working on the project, the pipeline was already around 90% complete at that time. The pipeline’s construction resumed in December 2020, and Germany renewed permission for construction in its waters in January 2021.
The 2020 Election
Trump returned to his frequent allegations about the 2020 election, calling it a “rigged election” and claiming that “they cheated like dogs.” These claims are false. Joe Biden won the election fairly. There was a minuscule amount of voter fraud, nowhere near widespread enough to have changed the outcome in any state.
Trump’s Indictments
Trump claimed that Biden “indicted” him and referred to “Stalinist show trials carried out at the Joe Biden orders.” This claim is unsupported by evidence. Grand juries made up of ordinary citizens approved the indictments in each of Trump’s criminal cases. There is no basis for the claim that Biden ordered Trump to be criminally charged or face civil trials.
Trump and Minneapolis
Trump claimed that he deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis in 2020 during the unrest following the murder of George Floyd. This claim is false. Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, not Trump, was the one who deployed the Minnesota National Guard during the 2020 unrest.
Trump and the Border Wall
Trump claimed, “We built 571 miles of border wall.” This claim is false. An official report by US Customs and Border Protection, written two days after Trump left office, said the total number built under Trump was 458 miles.
Trump and the Word ‘Caravans’
Trump claimed that he coined the phrase “caravans” to describe groups of migrants traveling together toward the US border. This claim is false. The word had been used by various others in the same context in the days and weeks prior to Trump’s use of it.
Trump and ISIS
Trump claimed that he defeated the ISIS terror group in “four weeks.” This claim is false. The ISIS “caliphate” was declared fully liberated more than two years into Trump’s presidency, in 2019.
Electric Cars
Trump claimed that Biden has mandated that “everybody has to have an electric car.” This claim is false. Biden has not mandated that “everybody has to have an electric car,” though his administration has made an aggressive push to try to get automakers and consumers to move toward electric vehicles.
The Trade Deficit
Trump claimed that the US has a “$2 trillion deficit.” This claim is false, 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 claimed that China “didn’t buy” oil from Iran during his presidency. This claim is false. China’s oil imports from Iran did briefly plummet under Trump in 2019, but they never stopped – and then they rose sharply again while Trump was still president.