Donald Trump's speech at the Presidents Cup last weekend, where he served as honorary chairman, was quickly challenged by CNN fact-checkers. The president made several claims about the state of the US economy that were disputed as he boarded his aircraft in Chicago.
Claims and rebuttal
Trump was introduced by PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp ahead of the opening tee time on Sunday. His speech was briefly interrupted by a heckler who shouted "you suck," before he wrapped up in under a minute. The 80-year-old president spoke after the US recorded the largest comeback in tournament history.
He declared: "401(k)s are at an all-time high, the stock market is at an all-time high, and our country is doing really well." He added, "With the exception of oil, which is lower than under the Biden administration, and we no longer have to worry about nuclear weapons because Iran has been wiped out. Prices are going down. We have it going down."
Fact-checker response
CNN correspondent Daniel Dale cast serious doubt on Trump's claims. "No. Again," Dale wrote. "Overall grocery prices are up 3.4% since Jan. 2025, and way more grocery items are up than down."
He continued: "In summary: The price of eggs has fallen big under Trump after spiking late in Biden's term because of a bird flu outbreak; a few other items have gotten cheaper, but by much less than eggs; the overwhelming majority of items have gotten more expensive. It's fair to note that grocery prices tend to rise no matter who the president is. But this president keeps lying that there has been grocery *deflation.*"
White House defense and speech closing
White House spokesman Kush Desai stepped in to defend the president's opinion. "President Trump is right: the prices of beef, chicken, prescription drugs, and many other household essentials have declined in the last couple CPI inflation reports because of the Trump administration's policies," he said, adding that the president remains "focused on delivering more economic relief for everyday Americans."
During his address, Trump kept his remarks concise, acknowledging that the crowd had gathered to watch the golf rather than hear him speak, and stopped short of highlighting any particular achievements. He added: "I'll only say this. Our country is doing great, better than ever before. And now, I want to watch the greatest players in the world go out and play, and play their hearts out. It's going to be a very interesting day of golf. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, I love you all. Thank you very much."
