By Fact Check

We analyzed seven statements that President Donald Trump made during his inaugural speech on Monday. We listened to the entire speech, but we didn't examine any opinions or policy promises. The time stamps are in Eastern Standard Time.

The United States spends the most on public healthcare in the world. (Timestamp: 12:14 pm. ET)

What We Know

This is generally true. In the United States, federal funding for healthcare is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Spending reached $1.8 trillion in 2023 or 7% GDP. The total expenditure on healthcare (public and privately funded) in the European Union is 1.6 trillion euro ($1.67 trillion). Some countries spend more per capita on healthcare than others. The overall U.S. health expenditure is the highest in world, despite private providers dominating the sector.

Trump claimed to have won the U.S. elections by millions of votes (Timestamp: 12:18 pm)

What We Know

It is true. Trump received 2.4 million more votes than U.S. vice president Kamala Harris in the 2024 elections, but his lead of 312-226 in Electoral College vote over Harris determined his victory.

The U.S. presidential election is determined by the electoral votes. These are allocated to U.S. States and Territories based on their population, not a total of all the votes cast nationwide. To win, candidates must receive 270 of the 538 electoral vote.

Trump won the most votes in the recent elections. Joe Biden will win 7 million votes more than Trump in 2020. Clinton received 2.9 more votes in 2016 than Trump, but lost the electoral vote 227-304. Obama also got more votes in 2008 than John McCain and almost 5 million in 2012.

"To the Black community and Hispanic community, I would like to thank you for your tremendous outpouring love and trust you have shown me through your vote. We broke records, and I won't forget it."

What We Know

This is mostly accurate. Trump won the most votes from Hispanics and Black voters in over 40 years. However, Harris got a larger share of both demographics.

According to Edison Research's exit poll, Trump won 46% Hispanic and 13% Black voters in the United States, while Kamala Harris, a Democrat, won 51% of Hispanic and 86% of Black voters.

Trump's Hispanic voter share was the highest among Republican presidential candidates in exit polls dating back to the 1970s. It was also 2 percentage points more than George W. Bush, who received 44% of the vote in 2004. Trump's Black voter share was also the highest since Ronald Reagan, who received 14% in 1980, according to nonpartisan data from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research.

"The inflation crises was caused by massive spending and an escalating fuel crisis." (Timestamp 12:22 pm)

What We Know

This is largely true. During the Biden administration, the government stimulus package during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the high energy prices and the global supply chain problems were seen as major drivers of inflation.

After President Trump's first term, the Biden administration and Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of $1.9 trillion in March 2021. This follows over $3 trillion worth of COVID relief expenditure approved by then-President Trump in 2020.

The U.S. consumer price index grew by 9.1% between June 2022 and December 2018, the highest increase in 40 years. At the same time, energy prices rose by 41.6% on an annual basis. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which caused an increase in fuel prices worldwide, also contributed to the price hike.

The U.S. is the country with "the largest amount of oil and natural gas on Earth." (Timestamp 12:23 pm)

What we know is that this lacks context. The U.S. has the highest crude oil production in the world, reaching a record of 13,46 million barrels a day in October. This is according to data from EIA.

The International Energy Agency has ranked the United States as having the highest total oil and natural gas supplies.

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries data shows that Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Iran have the most proven crude oil reserves while Russia, Iran and Qatar have the most proven natural gas reserves.

CLAIM: "China operates the Panama Canal." (Timestamp, 12:32 pm)

What We Know

This is not true. This is false. The Panama Canal Authority, an agency of the Panamanian government, manages the canal.

Panama's president Jose Raul Mulino stated in December that the canal was not controlled by any power, including China, Europe, the United States or anyone else.

According to its website, Hutchison Ports PPC is a division of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited based in Hong Kong. It operates the Balboa Port and Cristobal Port at either end of canal. The publicly-listed conglomerate does not have any financial ties to the Chinese government. Trump and other U.S. official have warned before about the danger of Beijing's increasing influence on South America trade.

The U.S. spent more money on the Panama Canal than any other project in history and 38,000 people died (Timestamp: 12:31pm).

What We Know

According to Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology, the French began the construction in 1880, during which time 20,000 canal workers were estimated to have died.

The website of the Panama Canal, citing hospital records, states that during the U.S. period of construction, which began in 1904, approximately 5,600 people died from injuries and diseases.

According to a study of the economic impact, the U.S. spent over $326 million between 1903-1914 on construction. It was also the most expensive project in American history.

(source: Reuters)