Fact-check: Trump's Claims on Jobs, Inflation and Crime

President Trump has repeatedly cast his first year back in office as a sweeping turnaround, saying the country went from nearly “dead” to the “hottest” anywhere in the world. Measured data on jobs, inflation and crime show no sudden reversals; many of the trends began before he retook office and continued largely unabated.

Inflation has eased but not to the near-zero levels the president has suggested. The Consumer Price Index peaked around 9.1 percent in June 2022, had fallen to 3 percent by January 2025 when Mr. Trump took office, and was 2.4 percent this January. Prices remain above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target.

Employment is at a record high in absolute terms — about 159 million people in January — but the nation’s population is also a record, more than 342 million. Labor force participation changed little, from 62.6 percent to 62.5 percent, while the unemployment rate rose from 4.0 percent to 4.3 percent.

United States

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