There are so many nonsense numbers being thrown around in Washington these days, our substack column, Trillions, will each week include a new feature: Budget Fact Check.
Other Fact Checkers: WashPostFactChecker | FactCheck.org | ReutersFactCheck | APFactCheck | Politifact
Tues, April 8, 2025:
Vance’s whopper on alleged Social Security fraud; The vice president falsely claims that 40 percent of calls to a retirement program involve fraud. – WP
Thurs, April 3, 2025:
The false things Trump said about tariffs during his announcement; The president relied on claims that have been debunked many times before. – WP
Fri, March 21, 2025:
Trump’s flimsy list claiming VOA distributed “radical propoganda” – WP
Fri, March 14, 2025:
Trump’s fantastical claim of a $200 billion ‘subsidy’ to Canada: No matter how we do the math, the numbers don’t add up. – WP
Wed, March 5, 2025:
Fact-checking 26 suspect claims in Trump’s address to Congress–false claims about border crossings, regulations, the economy, inflation and many other issues – WP
Fri, Feb 28, 2025:
Fact-checking Trump’s claims on amount of US aid to Ukraine – ABC
Golden visa math doesn’t add up to trillions – AXIOS
Wed, Feb 26, 2025:
Trump decries a “scam” USAID contract. It supports a program he started in his first term. – WP
Mon, Feb 24, 2025:
Compensation for federal civilian employees cost about $271 billion in FY 2022 — less than 5 percent of the $6.3 trillion the government spent that year. About 3/5 of compensation was for civilians at DOD, VA, and Homeland Security. – WP & CBO
Sun, Feb 23, 2025:
Budget Fact Check: The imaginary “DOGE Dividend” – FedBudgetGuy.Substack.com
Sat, Feb 22, 2025:
Musk’s DOGE says it has saved $55 billion. Not so fast. A Washington Post analysis found that hundreds of the canceled contracts DOGE listed represent savings of $0 each. – WP
Fri, Feb 21, 2025:
Trump, Musk exaggerate scale of improper social security payments to the dead – FactCheck.org
“Although the (DOGE) website claims the…estimated savings is $55 billion, the reported savings from the ‘wall of receipts’ on the page total about $8.6 billion….More than one-third of the contracts DOGE lists as canceled report $0 in savings…We asked the White House for details about how DOGE reached the $55 billion estimate, but received no additional details.” PolitiFact.com
Thurs, Feb 13, 2025:
Musk misleads on FEMA’s migrant-related payments to New York City – FactCheck.org
Wed, Feb 12, 2025:
Trump says DOGE found tens of billions in savings. Not even close. – WP
Sat, Feb 8, 2025:
Sorting out the Facts on “Waste and Abuse” at USAID – FactCheck.org
Fri, Feb 7, 2025:
The White House’s wildly inaccurate claims about USAID spending – WP
Fri, Jan 24, 2025:
Trump’s gusher of misleading economic statistics at Davos – WP
Mon, Jan 20, 2025:
Fact-checking Trump’s inaugural address – WP
Fact-checking Trumps inaugural address – FactCheck.org