Key Points from Donald Trump’s Longest Congressional Address
Donald Trump delivered the longest speech to Congress in modern history, speaking for one hour and 47 minutes. In his address, he declared that America is “winning again,” highlighting economic progress, lower inflation and foreign policy achievements. The speech centered heavily on affordability, immigration enforcement and claims of conflict resolution abroad, while also revisiting familiar themes about election integrity.
Inflation and Grocery Prices Under the Microscope
The president argued that his policies are bringing prices down, blaming the previous administration for high inflation. While inflation has cooled to 2.4% in the year to January 2026 down from 3% in President Joe Biden’s final year, prices are still rising overall. Grocery costs increased 2.1% over the past year. Beef prices dipped slightly last month but remain up 15% year-on-year, while egg prices have fallen sharply by 34%. Economists from institutions such as Harvard University estimate that Trump’s 2025 tariffs contributed nearly one percentage point to consumer inflation in early 2026.
Gas Prices and Employment Claims
Trump stated that gasoline prices are below $2.30 per gallon in most states, with some locations under $2. However, data from AAA shows the national average closer to $2.95, with only limited exceptions approaching his figure. On jobs, his claim that more Americans are working than ever is technically accurate: over 158 million people were employed in January 2026, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Still, employment as a share of the population has edged slightly lower, and unemployment has risen modestly from 4.1% to 4.3% compared to the end of Biden’s term.
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Investment and Election Fraud Assertions
The president also claimed to have secured $18 trillion in global investment commitments. However, a White House tracker currently lists about $9.7 trillion in pledged investments still substantial but well below his figure. Analysts from the Peterson Institute for International Economics caution that some pledges may not materialize. On election integrity, Trump repeated claims of widespread voter fraud. Yet databases maintained by groups such as The Heritage Foundation record relatively few proven cases over several decades, and multiple studies suggest voter fraud remains rare.
Immigration Enforcement and Border Numbers
Trump stated that zero “illegal aliens” had been admitted into the country over the past nine months. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol has indeed released no migrants into the US interior during that period. However, thousands of apprehensions continue each month. January 2026 saw just over 6,000 arrests at the southwest border, a steep decline from more than 124,000 recorded in January 2024 under Biden.
Claims of Ending Global Conflicts
The president asserted that he ended eight wars within his first ten months in office, citing ceasefires and diplomatic interventions in conflicts involving countries such as Israel and Hamas, Pakistan and India, and Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. While the administration played roles in brokering agreements including a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas some of the cited disputes were brief flare-ups rather than prolonged wars. In at least one case, tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia centered on a dam dispute without active combat. In other regions, fighting has resumed despite signed agreements, complicating claims that these wars were definitively ended.
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