During Donald Trump’s Tuesday, February 24th State of the Union (SOTU) address, the lofty claim was made that it is currently the “golden age of America.” However, the speech was fraught with speculative claims in desperate need of fact-checking, so is this claim also misleading? Let’s lay out the facts first. There were several references to tariffs throughout the night, including the statement that they have raised “hundreds of billions” of dollars. While the United States has collected $287 billion in tariffs and related taxes in 2025, Trump said that foreign countries were the ones paying these tariffs. But according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in reality other nations are only paying about five percent of the tariffs, with Americans paying the remaining 95 percent.
Moreover, Trump claimed that inflation “is plummeting” and described the economy as roaring. As of January, the inflation rate dropped to 2.4 percent which is lower as compared to 8 percent in 2022. This 2.4 percent is a higher current rate than the 2 percent target set by the Federal Reserve though. The nation is experiencing rising living costs, with about a 3 percent surge in food costs, 9.8 percent increase in natural gas, and 6.3 percent increase for electricity. While these percentages can and do shift, the base point is they are going up, not down.
At the SOTU, the president claimed that the stock markets have been rising all year and setting new records. While the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 have hit record points of 50,000 and 7,000 respectively, the overall stock market performance was lacking when compared to other global economies. Throughout the SOTU Trump also emphasized that he has secured $18 trillion in investments from various countries and companies, but neglected to explain how he had arrived at this number. While the White House has cited $9.7 trillion in investments, neither of these numbers have been confirmed.
Continuing a claim from 2025, Trump said that he has “ended 8 wars.” While many acknowledge he did play a role in mediation in some cases, most disagree with his recent “peace president” tag, especially amidst the recently unfolding events of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. At the time of writing, these strikes have resulted in the death of the decades-long Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a death toll of at least 168 people at a school in Minab, with at least 95 people wounded, with many others killed or wounded elsewhere. The school sits about 200 feet from an Iranian military base. Iran has unleashed retaliatory strikes on US military bases, Israel, and other targets across the region. For example, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense has said that people in their country have been killed as a result of Iranian drones that made it through the UAE air defenses.
There is so much more that could be said, certainly too much for a single author in a single article. In a time where reading the news can feel bleak, it is still highly important to stay informed, think critically, and remember that we have the autonomy to make our own decisions. Our president may tell us it is the “golden age of America,” but it is up to each person to decide whether they believe this to be true or not. Check in with sources such as the Good News Network or sunnyskyz.com when it feels a little heavy, but do not ignore what is happening and speak up if you are able.
For those who are curious about sources and more information:
- Amid Trump’s touting of a ‘golden age of America,’ gory details abound
- February 28, 2026 — US-Israeli strikes on Iran | CNN
- Read Trump’s full 2026 State of the Union address | PBS News
- 8 takeaways from Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address | PBS News
- Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address: 5 Misleading Claims Fact-Checked
- State of the Union replay: Trump says America ‘is back,’ but bashes Dems
- Join us for the real State of the Union event — DEFIANCE.org
- The Democratic response to Trump teases the fight to come in midterm elections
Meghan Elliott is a Sophomore Writing and World Languages and Cultures double major with a Religious Studies minor who wishes for even one day where there is more good news than bad. She can be reached at melliott1@ithaca.edu.