PolitiFact | Federal Budget

The Poynter Institute

English Español

Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

I would like to contribute

True

0%

Mostly True

19%

Half True

0%

Mostly False

0%

False

0%

Pants on Fire

0%

All Fact-checks for Federal Budget

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

stated on April 21, 2024 in a post on X

“Congress prohibits the NIH from researching the cause of mass shootings.”

true

false

stated on March 16, 2024 in a rally in Vandalia, Ohio

"Your Social Security will be destroyed by the people coming in. There's too many of them. It's not sustainable."

true

false

stated on March 7, 2024 in his State of the Union address

The Trump administration "added more to the national debt than any presidential term in American history."

true

half-true

stated on March 7, 2024 in a State of the Union address

"We’ve already cut the federal deficit by over $1 trillion."

true

half-true

stated on November 27, 2023 in remarks at the White House

Republicans’ “plan would cut Social Security benefits. … Average benefit cut would be 13%.”

true

barely-true

stated on October 25, 2023 in X, formerly Twitter

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson "opposes Social Security benefits."

true

barely-true

Marianne Williamson

stated on November 7, 2023 in an event at a store in Manchester, N.H.

Looking at “American aid to other countries … the vast majority of it is military aid.”

true

false

stated on November 5, 2023 in an interview on "Fox News Sunday"

“Only in Washington can you cut funding, add a pay-for to a new spending measure, and they say it's terrible for the deficit.”

true

false

stated on October 25, 2023 in his acceptance speech as speaker

“In the time it’s going to take me to deliver this speech, we’ll go up another $20 million in debt.”

true

mostly-true

stated on September 2, 2023 in a post on X

“Just in the last four years, $80 billion in federal funding has come to West Virginia — $22 billion more than we've ever received.”

true

mostly-true

stated on October 1, 2023 in an interview on ABC's "This Week"

"Since the mid-'90s, this country has been governed by revolving continuing resolution and omnibus spending bill(s). … That is the reason we're $33 trillion in debt."

true

half-true

stated on August 29, 2023 in a speech at the White House

“According to the Congressional Budget Office,” the Inflation Reduction Act “will save the federal government $160 billion over the next 10 years because Medicare will be paying less for the prescription drugs they’re making available to seniors.”

true

mostly-true

stated on August 23, 2023 in a Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee

"I actually pushed the Deficit Reduction Act. That was the last time we actually reduced the national debt in the United States, when I was the leader of House conservatives."

true

barely-true

stated on July 9, 2023 in an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo

Federal “agencies and government have grown 50% since 2019.”

true

half-true

stated on June 20, 2023 in a Facebook post

The Pentagon “said we accidentally sent $6.2 billion to Ukraine.”

true

false

stated on March 29, 2023 in a press release

“For every dollar in federal taxes my constituents pay, we get a mere 93 cents back.”

true

mostly-true

stated on May 28, 2023 in an interview on "Fox News Sunday"

"Every study has shown” that when work requirements are tied to federal safety-net programs, “it puts more people to work.”

true

barely-true

stated on May 10, 2023 in a speech in New York

"The Republican plan would cut federal law enforcement officers — 30,000 — including 11,000 FBI agents, 2,000 border agents, DEA agents, and so on."

true

barely-true

stated on April 26, 2023 in a TikTok post

Fauci, DOD and CDC funded deadly pathogen research at Sudan lab

true

false

stated on April 10, 2023 in a town hall in Salix, Iowa

There is “$500 billion of unspent COVID money” that can be rescinded.

true

half-true

Do Jesse Watters’ claims about the federal budget, LGBTQ+ and DEI funding add up?

Do Jesse Watters’ claims about the federal budget, LGBTQ+ and DEI funding add up?

By Grace Abels • March 29, 2024

Can the U.S. keep aid to Gaza out of Hamas’ hands?

Can the U.S. keep aid to Gaza out of Hamas’ hands?

By Louis Jacobson • October 23, 2023

U.S. aid to Israel: What to know

U.S. aid to Israel: What to know

By Louis Jacobson • October 18, 2023

Will Social Security checks go out if there’s a government shutdown?

Will Social Security checks go out if there’s a government shutdown?

By Louis Jacobson • September 26, 2023

Could a President Vivek Ramaswamy lay off 75% of federal workers by himself?

Could a President Vivek Ramaswamy lay off 75% of federal workers by himself?

By Louis Jacobson • September 26, 2023

Here we go again: what to know about government shutdowns

Here we go again: what to know about government shutdowns

By Louis Jacobson • September 20, 2023

A family budget is often invoked in U.S. debt fights. Just how similar is it to a federal budget?

A family budget is often invoked in U.S. debt fights. Just how similar is it to a federal budget?

By Louis Jacobson • May 17, 2023

The battle over the debt limit: What to know after the House GOP passed its bill

The battle over the debt limit: What to know after the House GOP passed its bill

By Louis Jacobson • April 28, 2023

The debt limit fight: Why does it matter? How could it be resolved?

The debt limit fight: Why does it matter? How could it be resolved?

By Louis Jacobson • January 19, 2023

Fact-checking statistics about Biden's student loan forgiveness plan

Fact-checking statistics about Biden's student loan forgiveness plan

By Jeff Cercone • August 26, 2022

On student loan forgiveness, Joe Biden has many options

On student loan forgiveness, Joe Biden has many options

By Jon Greenberg • May 6, 2022

Deficit ‘prediction’ for infrastructure bill varies widely from estimates

Deficit ‘prediction’ for infrastructure bill varies widely from estimates

By Tom Kertscher • November 10, 2021

US climate change spending overseas: Does the public support it?

US climate change spending overseas: Does the public support it?

By Louis Jacobson • November 5, 2021

Can Joe Biden’s agenda really cost zero dollars? A guide to the bills and the numbers

Can Joe Biden’s agenda really cost zero dollars? A guide to the bills and the numbers

By Jon Greenberg • September 29, 2021

The looming debt-ceiling showdown: What you need to know

The looming debt-ceiling showdown: What you need to know

By Louis Jacobson • September 22, 2021

Is Iowa's new effort to reject presidential orders constitutional?

Is Iowa's new effort to reject presidential orders constitutional?

By Dylan Morgan • May 7, 2021

Fact-checking a GOP talking point on state, local relief in the American Rescue Plan

Fact-checking a GOP talking point on state, local relief in the American Rescue Plan

By Louis Jacobson • March 19, 2021

What’s in the revamped pandemic and stimulus bill now in the Senate?

What’s in the revamped pandemic and stimulus bill now in the Senate?

By Jon Greenberg • March 5, 2021

What you need to know about the budget reconciliation process

What you need to know about the budget reconciliation process

By Louis Jacobson • February 8, 2021

What’s in Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan?

What’s in Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan?

By Louis Jacobson • January 15, 2021

Latest promises about Federal Budget

Repeal Hyde Amendment

Help state and local governments prevent budget shortfalls

Restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood

End the defense sequester

Make no cuts to Social Security

Make no cuts to Medicaid

Add additional federal investment of $20 billion toward School Choice

Adopt the penny plan

Dramatically scale back the U.S. Education Department

Eliminate wasteful spending in every department

Administer Medicaid through block grants

Load more promises about Federal Budget