Joe Biden

“Look, there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plan. They have said that this has all the characteristics — four, five former heads of the CIA, both parties, say what he’s saying is a bunch of garbage. Nobody believes it except him and his good friend Rudy Giuliani.”

Washington Post says: The letter did not say this

“Studies show that children who go to preschool are nearly 50% more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a two- or four-year degree, no matter their background they came from.”

PolitiFact says: One credible academic study backs up Biden’s statement. Other studies of preschool programs have also shown gains in college attendance, but the rates have been lower, ranging from 12% to 18%.

“We used to rank No. 1 in the world in research and development, now we rank No. 9. China used to rank No. 8, now it ranks No. 2.”

PolitiFact says: His broader point that China has been closing the research gap is valid, but the rankings he offered don’t specifically match those from widely cited sources.

“In the past two years, democracies have become stronger, not weaker. Autocracies have grown weaker, not stronger.”

PolitiFact says: This lacks evidence and recent research suggests that global democracy has been on the decline for the past several years.

“In the last two years, my administration cut the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion — the largest deficit reduction in American history.”

Washington Post says: The deficit has gone up higher because of Biden's policies

“In the last two years, my administration cut the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion.”

PolitiFact says: The debt rose in 2021 because of a temporary phase of unusual federal spending due to the coronavirus pandemic. In absolute dollars, the current deficit is much more in line with what it was in pre-pandemic 2019.

“In the last two years, my administration has cut the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion – the largest deficit reduction in American history.”

FactCheck.org says: Most of the reduction in deficits is the result of expiring emergency pandemic spending.

“We created more new jobs in two years than any president did in their entire term.”

PolitiFact says: While Biden has easily outpaced every post-war president in job gains per year, he benefited from taking office on the upswing of a deep recession. He also hasn’t faced a recession yet, unlike most of his predecessors.

“Casi el 25% de toda la deuda nacional, una deuda que tardó 200 años en acumularse, fue añadida solo por esa administración [la de Donald Trump]”.”

“Republicans “want to impose a 30% national sales tax on everything from food, clothing, school supplies, housing, cars -- a whole deal.”

FactCheck.org says: As of Jan. 27, the FairTax Act had 24 Republican co-sponsors in the House. But at least six House Republicans have already said that they oppose the bill -- enough to keep it from passing.

“Two years ago this week, 18 million people were out of work needing unemployment benefits. Today, that number is under 1.6 million, the lowest in decades.”

PolitiFact says: The 18 million figure accurately represents traditional unemployment insurance recipients plus those who benefited from temporary programs during the coronavirus pandemic. But the two aren't precisely comparable.

“Two years ago this week, 18 million people were out of work. Now the — that number is under 1.6 million.”

FactCheck.org says: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people “out of work” — or officially unemployed — in the U.S. in January 2021 was about 10.2 million, and the number in December 2022 was 5.7 million.

“One quarter” of today’s $31.4 trillion federal debt “was accumulated in the four years of my predecessor,” Donald Trump.”

PolitiFact says: Biden's number is accurate, but assigning debt to a particular president is tricky.

“Take home pay for workers is going up.”

PolitiFact says: Wages have outpaced inflation for the past two quarters. However, that increase is only beginning to compensate for the wages that were eaten away by inflation earlier in Biden’s presidency.

“After Joe Biden became vice president, at the behest of his father, he gave his uncle, Frank H. Biden, a Purple Heart for serving in the U.S. military during World War II.”

PolitiFact says: The event could not have happened as Biden described. Obituaries for the president’s uncle show he died in 1999, almost a decade before Biden became vice president.

“Says he has been to “Afghanistan, Iraq and those areas” twice as president.”

PolitiFact says: Joe Biden has not visited Afghanistan or Iraq while president.

“As vice president, Joe Biden presented one of his uncles, Frank Biden, with a Purple Heart, which his uncle refused to accept.”

FactCheck.org says: Frank Biden, who served in the Army during World War II, died in 1999 -- when Joe Biden was a senator, not vice president.

“Exports are up, which means we’re making things here in America and shipping the products overseas rather than shipping the jobs overseas.”

FactCheck.org says: An international trade expert said an increase in U.S. exports means the U.S. is shipping more American-made things overseas, but not necessarily that the U.S. is not shipping jobs overseas.

“For the last several months, wages have gone up more than prices have gone up.”

PolitiFact says: While inflation remains high by historical standards, from July through November 2022, monthly wage increases did exceed monthly inflation increases.

“You are probably aware that I just signed a law that is being challenged by my Republican colleagues. … It’s passed. I got it passed by a vote or two.”

Washington Post says: Biden did not pass a law, he took executive action.