Fact-checking Trump’s UN speech: Claims on economy, energy and London’s mayor under scrutiny

US President Donald Trump addressing the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York City. (Courtesy: Reuters photo)

US President Donald Trump delivered an hourlong address at the United Nations General Assembly, casting himself as a defender of American strength while criticizing allies and rivals alike. But many of his claims on the economy, renewable energy and global leaders were misleading or outright false, according to experts and official data, the New York Times reported.

Inflated investment numbers

Trump claimed that his administration had secured $17 trillion in new investment within eight months, dwarfing what he said was less than $1 trillion under President Biden. In reality, the Biden administration tallied nearly $800 billion in manufacturing projects linked to major laws, many already underway. Trump’s figure is closer to $8.8 trillion — and much of that consists of vague or unrealistic pledges, not paid investments.

Attacks on London’s mayor

Trump singled out London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, suggesting the city was moving toward Shariah law. There is no evidence to support that claim. Khan has consistently rejected the idea of Shariah law in Britain, and similar accusations circulating on social media have been debunked. Shariah councils in Britain exist only as private bodies with no legal authority, and they primarily handle religious matters such as divorces.

Mischaracterizing China’s energy use

The president asserted that China builds wind turbines to sell abroad but barely uses them at home, relying instead on coal and gas. Data from the World Wind Energy Association and Global Energy Monitor show the opposite. China operates more wind farms and has more installed wind power capacity than any other country, accounting for nearly half of global capacity. It is also planning thousands more projects.

Energy prices and consumer costs

Trump told the UN that American electricity and gasoline bills were “way down.” That is misleading. Gasoline prices have fallen only slightly, from about $3.21 a year ago to $3.17 a gallon today, according to government data. Electricity costs, however, are up more than six percent from last year, contradicting the president’s claim.

Other recurring falsehoods

Trump repeated a series of unfounded or exaggerated claims. He said millions of people from prisons and mental institutions had crossed the southern border, despite no evidence. He claimed credit for ending “seven unending wars,” a claim disputed by military analysts. He also inflated the number of missing migrant children, exaggerated overdose deaths as nearly 300,000 when the real figure is closer to 80,000, and wrongly labeled Washington, D.C., as the crime capital of America.

A familiar pattern

The speech underscores a pattern that has defined much of Trump’s political career: sweeping declarations that rally supporters but collapse under closer inspection. While his rhetoric sought to project authority on the world stage, the factual gaps highlight the gulf between his narrative and verified data. For allies and critics alike, the performance was less about policy detail and more about reinforcing Trump’s combative political style.