Get the Facts: Fact-checking first 2024 presidential debate between Biden and Trump

ALSO, STRAIGHT AHEAD, THANK YOU TONY, AND COMMITMENT 2024. THE CONTENDERS FOR THE WHITE HOUSE ARE BACK ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AFTER GOING HEAD TO HEAD ON THE DEBATE STAGE LAST NIGHT, BUT WERE THEY ON FIRM GROUND WITH THEIR STATEMENTS? WE GET THE FACTS FROM WESH TWO NEWS POLITICAL REPORTER GREG FOX THURSDAY NIGHT CNN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE CERTAINLY HAD INSULTS. IS IT WORSE? PROBABLY THE WORST ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY. EVERY SINGLE THING HE SAID IS A LIE. NOW LET’S GET THE FACTS. DONALD TRUMP ON IMMIGRATION. LOOK, WE HAD THE SAFEST BORDER IN HISTORY, BRINGING UP THE METER THAT CLAIM IS FALSE. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM RESEARCH BY THE MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE, REMOVAL OF NON-CITIZENS WAS MUCH HIGHER UNDER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND DECLINED UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP, THOUGH IT’S WORTH NOTING BORDER CROSSINGS UNDER BIDEN ARE AT A RECORD HIGH. THEN HE SAID THIS. BY THE WAY, THE BORDER PATROL ENDORSED ME. THAT STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT IS FALSE. DURING THE DEBATE, THE NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL REPRESENTING 18,000 AGENTS, TWEETED A MESSAGE ON X TO BE CLEAR, WE NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL ENDORSE BIDEN. THE UNION DID ENDORSE A BIPARTISAN BILL IN FEBRUARY THAT WOULD HAVE LIMITED BORDER CROSSINGS, BUT IT FAILED IN THE SENATE. THEN THIS FROM TRUMP. HE MADE UP THE CHARLOTTESVILLE STORY, AND YOU’LL SEE IT’S DEBUNKED ALL OVER THE PLACE. NO DEBUNKING HERE. THE TRUMP STATEMENT IS FALSE. DURING HIS CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEO IN 2019, BIDEN CLEARLY STATED ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS HE WOULD CHALLENGE TRUMP IS THE 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA CLASH BETWEEN WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND COUNTER-PROTESTERS. HE SAID THERE WERE, QUOTE, SOME VERY FINE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES. BIDEN AT ONE POINT SAID THIS ABOUT LOWERING DRUG PRICES. WE BROUGHT DOWN THE PRICE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, WHICH IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR MANY PEOPLE. THE $15 FOR FOR A INSULIN SHOT AS OPPOSED TO THE $400 THAT TWO IS FALSE. HERE’S THE PROOF DIRECT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE’S OWN FACT SHEET IN MARCH OF 2023, SENIORS ON MEDICARE WITH DIABETES STARTED TO SEE THEIR INSULIN COSTS CAPPED AT $35 PER MONTH. CNN REPORTED IN JANUARY THAT BIG PHARMA IS NOW PROVIDING A 30 DAY SUPPLY OF INSULIN FOR $35 TO ELIGIBLE PATIENTS, INCLUDING THE UNINSURED. AND HERE’S ONE WHERE BOTH WERE WRONG ON THE SAME POINT. HE ALSO SAID HE INHERITED 9% INFLATION. NO, HE INHERITED ALMOST NO INFLATION. AND IT STAYED THAT WAY FOR 14 MONTHS. AND THEN IT BLEW UP. UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, BOTH THE STATEMENT BY TRUMP AND THE BIDEN STATEMENT HE REFERENCED ARE FALSE. IN MAY, CNN REPORTED BIDEN TWICE FALSELY CLAIMED INFLATION WAS 9% WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE. BUT ACCORDING TO THE INFLATION CALCULATOR, IT WAS 1.4% WHEN BIDEN WAS SWORN IN. YES, IT PEAKED AT 9.1% IN JUNE OF 22, BUT UNDER BIDEN, IT’S DOWN TO 3.3%. AND TRUMP IS WRONG NOT TO CLAIM SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR COVID STIMULUS PACKAGES THAT ECONOMISTS SAY CONTRIBUTED TO THE RISING INFLATION UNDER BIDEN. BOTH CANDIDATES WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THEIR STORIES STRAIGHT BEFORE THE SECOND AND LIKELY FINAL DEBATE.

Thursday night’s CNN presidential debate certainly had insults from both candidates.Republican former President Donald Trump said of Democratic President Joe Biden, "He is the worst, probably the worst administration in history." Biden countered, "Every single thing he said is a lie." Now, let's Get The Facts.At one point, Trump said this about immigration: "Look, we had the safest border in history."That claim is false. Research by the Migration Policy Institute reveals that the removal of non-citizens was much higher under two-term Democratic President Barack Obama.In fact, he removed roughly twice as many non-citizens from the country in his first term than Trump did in his only term. Removal rates declined under Trump, though it's worth noting that border crossings under Biden are at a record high.During the debate in Atlanta, with the moderators muting the mics of the candidate who was not answering a question and had no audience, Biden said this about the agents who protect our borders: "By the way, the Border Patrol endorsed me."Biden's statement is false. In fact, during the debate, the National Border Patrol Council, representing 18,000 agents, posted a message on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that said, “To be clear, we never have and never will endorse Biden.”The union did endorse a bipartisan bill in February that would limit border crossings, but it failed in the U.S. Senate. Then, Trump tried to discredit Biden’s reason for challenging Trump in 2020. "He (Biden) made up the Charlottesville story, and you’ll see it’s debunked all over the place.”No debunking here. The Trump statement is false.In his campaign announcement video in April 2019, Biden clearly stated one of the main reasons he would challenge Trump is the 2017 Charlottesville, Virginia, clash between white supremacists and counter-protesters.Biden said then, “He (Trump) said there were, quote, some very fine people on both sides.” Biden later said this about lowering drug prices: “We brought down the price of prescription drugs, which is a major issue for many people, to $15 for an insulin shot, as opposed to $400.” That is false. Here’s the proof. Direct from the White House’s own “fact sheet” in March of 2023, “seniors on Medicare with diabetes started to see their insulin costs capped at $35 per month”… no $15 per dose.CNN reported in January that big pharma is now providing a 30-day “supply of insulin for $35 to eligible patients, including the uninsured.” And here’s one where both were wrong on the same point. Trump stated, "He (Biden) also said he inherited 9 percent inflation. No, he inherited almost no inflation, and it stayed that way for 14 months, and then it blew up under his leadership."Both the statement by Trump and the Biden statement he referenced are false. In May, CNN reported Biden twice falsely claimed inflation was 9% when he took office.However, according to the Inflation Calculator online, it was 1.4% when Biden was sworn in. Yes, it peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, but under Biden, it’s down to 3.3% as of the 12-month rolling period reported in May 2024.Trump is wrong not to claim some responsibility for his COVID-19 stimulus packages, which economists say contributed to the rising inflation under Biden, after Trump left office in January 2021. Both presidential candidates will have plenty of time to get their stories straight, with the second and likely final debate set for Sept. 10.

Thursday night’s CNN presidential debate certainly had insults from both candidates.

Republican former President Donald Trump said of Democratic President Joe Biden, "He is the worst, probably the worst administration in history."

Biden countered, "Every single thing he said is a lie."

Now, let's Get The Facts.

At one point, Trump said this about immigration: "Look, we had the safest border in history."

That claim is false. Research by the Migration Policy Institute reveals that the removal of non-citizens was much higher under two-term Democratic President Barack Obama.

In fact, he removed roughly twice as many non-citizens from the country in his first term than Trump did in his only term. Removal rates declined under Trump, though it's worth noting that border crossings under Biden are at a record high.

During the debate in Atlanta, with the moderators muting the mics of the candidate who was not answering a question and had no audience, Biden said this about the agents who protect our borders: "By the way, the Border Patrol endorsed me."

Biden's statement is false. In fact, during the debate, the National Border Patrol Council, representing 18,000 agents, posted a message on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that said, “To be clear, we never have and never will endorse Biden.”

The union did endorse a bipartisan bill in February that would limit border crossings, but it failed in the U.S. Senate.

Then, Trump tried to discredit Biden’s reason for challenging Trump in 2020. "He (Biden) made up the Charlottesville story, and you’ll see it’s debunked all over the place.”

No debunking here. The Trump statement is false.

In his campaign announcement video in April 2019, Biden clearly stated one of the main reasons he would challenge Trump is the 2017 Charlottesville, Virginia, clash between white supremacists and counter-protesters.

Biden said then, “He (Trump) said there were, quote, some very fine people on both sides.”

Biden later said this about lowering drug prices: “We brought down the price of prescription drugs, which is a major issue for many people, to $15 for an insulin shot, as opposed to $400.”

That is false. Here’s the proof.

Direct from the White House’s own “fact sheet” in March of 2023, “seniors on Medicare with diabetes started to see their insulin costs capped at $35 per month”… no $15 per dose.

CNN reported in January that big pharma is now providing a 30-day “supply of insulin for $35 to eligible patients, including the uninsured.”

And here’s one where both were wrong on the same point. Trump stated, "He (Biden) also said he inherited 9 percent inflation. No, he inherited almost no inflation, and it stayed that way for 14 months, and then it blew up under his leadership."

Both the statement by Trump and the Biden statement he referenced are false.

In May, CNN reported Biden twice falsely claimed inflation was 9% when he took office.

However, according to the Inflation Calculator online, it was 1.4% when Biden was sworn in. Yes, it peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, but under Biden, it’s down to 3.3% as of the 12-month rolling period reported in May 2024.

Trump is wrong not to claim some responsibility for his COVID-19 stimulus packages, which economists say contributed to the rising inflation under Biden, after Trump left office in January 2021.

Both presidential candidates will have plenty of time to get their stories straight, with the second and likely final debate set for Sept. 10.

Get the Facts: Fact-checking first 2024 presidential debate between Biden and Trump

Share

Share

Share

Top Picks