Fact checking the Biden-Trump presidential debate
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump met for a showdown over policy and their records, but not everything claimed by the candidates onstage was factual.Inflation rates, border crossings, Jan.6, abortion, the stock market and the cost to America of the Paris Climate Accord were among the issues the two sparred over that need a closer look.ABC News’ politics team analyzed their comments to break down fact from fiction.Did Biden inherit 9% inflation?TRUMP CLAIM: "He also said he inherited 9% inflation -- no.
He inherited almost no inflation, and it stayed ...stayed that way for 14 months, and it blew up under his leadership …"FACT CHECK: This is mostly true.
In January 2021, when Biden was inaugurated, year-over-year inflation was about 1.4%.Under Biden, year-over-year inflation peaked at 9.1 % in June 2022.
But it is now down to 3.3 %.Under Trump, inflation rose 7.76 % from January 2017 to January 2021, and year-over-year inflation peaked at 2.9 % in July 2018.--Zunaira ZakiFormer President Donald Trump speaks during a presidential debate with Democrat candidate, President Joe Biden, in Atlanta, June 27, 2024.Brian Snyder/ReutersMORE: 5 takeaways from striking Biden-Trump presidential debateWere there any military conflicts during Trump's term in office?TRUMP CLAIM: "We got…a lot of credit for the military, and no wars and so many other things.
Everything was rocking good."FACT CHECK: Needs context.While it's true that Trump did not formally declare war against a foreign power while in the White House, he significantly scaled up military action in Syria and Iraq in the fight against ISIS and also authorized the air strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, putting the country on the brink of a direct conflict with Iran.
Pentagon records also show that at least 65 American troops were killed in action during Trump's term.--Shannon KingstonCrime and the BorderTRUMP CLAIM: "We have a border that's the most dangerous place anywhere in...