Latest Fact-Checks In Trade

Clear
stated on October 23, 2025 a statement on X
An ad from the government of Ontario, Canada, “misrepresents” President Ronald Reagan’s April 25, 1987, address about tariffs.
Mostly False
By Amy Sherman, Louis Jacobson • October 24, 2025
stated on May 18, 2025 remarks on NBC's "Meet the Press"
“Gasoline prices have collapsed under President Trump."
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • May 20, 2025
Brooke Rollins
Brooke Rollins
stated on April 6, 2025 an interview
“We had an agriculture export deficit that increased from zero when President Trump left to $49 billion” under former President Joe Biden.
Mostly False
By Maria Ramirez Uribe • April 9, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on March 26, 2025 an interview with Newsmax
“We have automobile plants being built at levels we've never seen … and they're going up fast.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • March 28, 2025
Facebook posts
Facebook posts
stated on May 14, 2022 posts on social media
The United States can’t import baby formula because of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Mostly False
By Sara Swann • May 24, 2022
Instagram posts
Instagram posts
stated on October 27, 2021 an Instagram post
A video shows “your packages were rerouted and have arrived in the port of Miami” as a result of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Mostly False
By Gabrielle Settles • November 5, 2021
Facebook posts
Facebook posts
stated on October 13, 2021 a Facebook post
California’s shipping backlog is, in part, caused by a “California Truck Ban which says all trucks must be 2011 or newer and a law called AB 5 which prohibits Owner Operators.”
Mostly False
By Samantha Putterman • October 19, 2021
Facebook posts
Facebook posts
stated on October 1, 2021 a Facebook post
“There are now 56 cargo freighters anchored off the coast of California from Oakland to Long Beach in what can only be considered a manufactured supply-chain halt.”
Mostly False
By Isabella Fertel • October 1, 2021
The Gateway Pundit
The Gateway Pundit
stated on June 1, 2021 a blog post
Says Joe Biden “imports oil from Iran.”
Mostly False
June 17, 2021
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
stated on September 29, 2020 the first presidential debate
“We have a higher deficit with China now than we did before.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • September 30, 2020
Mark Pocan
Mark Pocan
stated on December 2, 2019 a tweet
Says President Donald Trump is "waging a trade war against WI farmers -- forcing > 1600 dairy farms to close."
Mostly False
By Eric Litke • December 11, 2019
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on August 13, 2019 a speech in Monaca, Pa.
"We were losing all our cases in the World Trade Organization. ... And then I came along. Now we’re winning a lot of cases because they know that they’re not on very solid ground."
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • August 16, 2019
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on August 13, 2019 a speech at a chemical plant in Pennsylvania
Says the large trade deficit with Japan stems from them sending "millions of cars," while "we send them wheat," but the deficit is "changing rapidly."  
Mostly False
By Jon Greenberg • August 15, 2019
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on April 27, 2019 a rally
"We have been losing to China for many years, $500 billion a year.
Mostly False
By D.L. Davis • April 30, 2019
The Other 98%
The Other 98%
stated on July 24, 2018 a Facebook post
"Trump just gave a $12 billion bailout to farmers hurt by his failed tariffs. This will cost every household in the U.S. $95 … Trump is borrowing the money from China since his tax cuts blew a trillion dollar hole in the deficit."
Mostly False
By Lucia Geng • August 1, 2018
Senate Leadership Fund
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on July 24, 2018 a campaign ad
Says Sen. Joe Donnelly’s "family got caught outsourcing jobs to Mexico, and ‘Mexico Joe’ profited up to $80,000."
Mostly False
By Katie Akin • July 26, 2018
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on July 20, 2018 a tweet
"The price of soybeans has fallen 50% since 5 years before the election. A big reason is bad (terrible) trade deals with other countries."  
Mostly False
By Jon Greenberg • July 24, 2018
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on March 23, 2018 in a news conference
"Last year we lost $500 billion on trade with China."
Mostly False
By John Kruzel • March 28, 2018
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on March 15, 2018 a tweet
"We do have a Trade Deficit with Canada, as we do with almost all countries (some of them massive)."
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • March 15, 2018
Laurence Tribe
Laurence Tribe
stated on March 2, 2018 a tweet
President Donald "Trump’s latest set of sanctions against companies and countries benefiting North Korea includes every nation but one making shipments to (North Korea). The one nation Trump exempted from his punitive ban was . . . wait for it . . . drumroll: Russia."
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • March 6, 2018
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