First debate Trump vs. Biden fact check: What did the candidates lie about?
Trump and Biden have shared some false statements during the first presidential debate. Here is the fact check of his statements.
The first presidential debate has come to an end. Current President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump met at the CNN studios in Atlanta, Georgia, to answer some of the voters’ concerns.
For many citizens, this first debate has left doubts about how capable both candidates are to become president. Trump and Biden were questioned on different topics, but some questions were left unanswered, since they were focused on attacking each other.
On the other hand, among their responses, arguments and attacks, some false statements stood out. Here we share the verification of some of their claims.
Fact check of the first debate between Trump and Biden
A variety of topics were addressed in this first debate, including inflation and the economy, taxes, abortion, migration, foreign policy, the climate crisis, Social Security, child care, and the opioid crisis.
Social Security and Medicare
Former President Trump alleged that Joe Biden will destroy Social Security and Medicare by giving benefits to immigrants entering the United States. However, this is false. Immigrants who work legally typically do not receive benefits for many years.
As for the undocumented, some work with false Social Security numbers and although they pay payroll taxes, they do not qualify to collect benefits.
Abortion
Trump claimed that in some Democratic states babies are killed “after birth.” This is false, since it would be infanticide, which is illegal in all 50 states. According to CDC data, only a very small percentage of abortions occur at 21 weeks of pregnancy or later.
Trump also claimed that “everyone” wanted Roe v. Wade overturned and that the power to establish abortion policies be returned to the states. However, multiple polls have shown that a majority of Americans (nearly two-thirds of those surveyed) wish Roe v. Wade had been preserved.
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Electoral fraud
Since 2020, the Republican presumptive nominee has alleged that there was electoral fraud, statements that, in that year, culminated in the attack on the Capitol. However, these claims are false and have been proven so through several court decisions. Trump lost to Biden by an Electoral College margin of 306 to 232.
Immigration
President Biden stated that border crossings fell by 40%. However, this data is not entirely accurate. According to CNN, the number of daily encounters at the southern border of the United States fell 40% after President Joe Biden’s executive action which restricted access to asylum earlier this month.
However, the number of people who crossed the southern border was generally lower during the Trump administration. Although it is also worth noting that President Trump had Title 42 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On the other hand, President Biden said that the United States Border Patrol union had supported him. However, the union did not endorse him as the next president, it supported the bipartisan border agreement that was ultimately not approved.
Tariffs
Trump stated that prices will not increase if he imposes a 10% tariff on imports. This is false. American consumers and industries bear almost the entire cost of the tariffs.
Employment
President Joe Biden assured that the unemployment rate among African Americans has been the lowest during his presidency. This is false. The unemployment rate for black or African-American people was 6.1% in May 2024.
Military
Biden falsely claimed that he is the only president this decade who does not have “troops dying anywhere in the world.” However, members of the Armed Forces have died, including 13 people who died after a suicide attack during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
What comes after the debate?
It is expected that the official announcement of the candidates will be made through the conventions of each party. The Republican Convention is scheduled for July 15 to 18, while the Democratic Convention will take place from August 19 to 22.
While Kamala Harris is Biden's running mate, Trump is expected to soon announce who will be the possible vice president of his candidacy.
A second presidential debate is scheduled for September 10 and will be hosted by ABC News. The presidential election will be held on Tuesday, November 5.