6 Falsehoods from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago News Conference

In his first press conference since Vice President Kamala Harris secured the Democratic presidential nomination, former President Donald Trump made a series of statements, many of which were misleading or outright false. Speaking for over an hour at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump discussed various national issues and engaged with reporters. Several of his claims have been debunked before, yet he continues to repeat them.

Here’s a closer examination of some of the most notable inaccuracies:

Exaggerating Crowd Sizes

Claim: "I’ve spoken to the largest crowds ever, even bigger than Martin Luther King Jr.'s during his famous speech. Our crowd was on the same ground, same number of people, if not more. They say King had a million people, but I had 25,000."

The Facts: Trump compared his January 6, 2021, speech crowd in front of the White House to the one gathered for Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial. However, these two events were vastly different in terms of attendance. The National Park Service estimated about 250,000 people attended King’s speech, while reports suggest only about 10,000 were present for Trump’s address. Additionally, the locations were not the same—King spoke from the Lincoln Memorial, whereas Trump spoke at the Ellipse, near the White House.

Misleading Statements on January 6th Deaths

Claim: "Nobody was killed on January 6."

The Facts: This claim is false. The January 6, 2021, Capitol riot resulted in five deaths either during or shortly after the event. Among the deceased were Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter shot by police as she tried to breach a door in the Capitol, and Brian Sicknick, a police officer who died the following day after battling the rioters. Additionally, four officers who responded to the riot later took their own lives.

Misinterpretation of the Democratic Nomination Process

Claim: "The presidency was taken away from Joe Biden, and constitutionally, it shouldn’t have been allowed."

The Facts: This statement misrepresents the Democratic nomination process. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) determines the party’s nominee, and there is no constitutional provision that prevents Vice President Kamala Harris from becoming the nominee. Harris secured the nomination after President Joe Biden chose to exit the race, winning nearly 99% of the delegate votes.

Inflation and Economic Misunderstandings

Claim: "If I were in office, there would have been no inflation because it was caused by their bad energy policies. They’re now reverting to my policies because gas prices skyrocketed."

The Facts: Inflation would have likely occurred regardless of who was president due to factors beyond any leader’s control. The pandemic’s impact on supply chains, increased demand for goods, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contributed to rising prices globally. While some economists argue that Biden’s stimulus package fueled inflation, it wasn’t the sole cause. Inflation spiked worldwide, even in countries with different policies than the U.S.

Inflated Immigration Numbers

Claim: "Twenty million people crossed the border during the Biden-Harris administration, maybe more."

The Facts: Trump’s figure of 20 million is unsupported. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported 7.1 million arrests for illegal crossings from January 2021 to June 2024, which doesn’t equate to 20 million people due to multiple crossings by some individuals. Additionally, there were nearly 1.1 million stops at official crossings and 500,000 migrants admitted through specific programs, bringing the total encounters to around 8.7 million, not 20 million.

New York Legal Cases Mischaracterized

Claim: "The New York cases against me are controlled by the Department of Justice."

The Facts: Trump’s statement is incorrect. The two cases he referenced are state-level, not federal. The civil case was brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, while the criminal case was initiated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Neither case is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Justice.