“What About the ‘Trump Tariff’ Potentially Costing Families Nearly $4,000?”
CLAIM: “Trump’s proposed tariffs could increase costs for middle-class families by almost $4,000 annually.”
VERDICT: This figure is derived from one analysis estimating the potential cost to U.S. households if Trump’s plan to impose tariffs—or taxes—on imported goods is enacted. Different estimates suggest smaller impacts.
The “$4,000” figure originates from a study by the left-leaning think tank, the Center for American Progress, which analyzed Trump’s proposal to impose a 10-20% tariff on all imported goods and a 60% tariff on goods from China. They calculated the total annual value of imported goods to the U.S., estimated the new tariffs’ cost, and divided that by the number of U.S. households. The result was approximately $4,600 per household, but the cost drops to about $3,900 for “middle-income” families.
Other studies have projected lower impacts. For example, the Peterson Institute estimated that the cost could be around $1,700 per year for the average household.
Trump argues that the cost of tariffs would primarily affect foreign producers rather than American consumers. However, it’s challenging to determine the exact impact of such tariffs. Historical data on previous tariffs suggest that some costs are often passed on to U.S. businesses and consumers.
“Did Trump Sabotage the Immigration Deal?”
CLAIM: “Trump believes a border deal would damage his campaign, so he directed his Congressional allies to oppose it.”
VERDICT: Trump did indeed call for Republicans to vote against the Biden administration’s immigration proposal and later claimed credit for its failure.
“The Immigration Bill and Its Contentious Path in the Senate”
The proposed immigration bill sought to impose stricter asylum rules, boost funding for Border Patrol, and enable the automatic closure of the southern border to unauthorized crossings if a daily limit was surpassed. However, the majority of U.S. Senators rejected these measures. While Trump did not have a direct vote, he urged Republican lawmakers to oppose the bill, calling it “horrendous” because he believed it was insufficiently tough on immigration. At a Fox News event in February 2024, Trump stated his opposition, arguing that passing the bill would have “improved the situation for the opposition.” The bill faced another defeat in the Senate in May.
“Did Trump Threaten to Exit NATO?”
CLAIM: “Trump threatened to leave NATO.”
VERDICT: True. Trump did indeed threaten to withdraw the U.S. from NATO. However, he also stated that the U.S. would remain in the alliance as long as European nations increased their defense expenditures. As president, Trump confirmed that he had warned NATO members with a “yes, I will leave you” stance if they didn’t commit to higher defense spending. In a 2024 interview with GB News, Trump reiterated that the U.S. would stay “100%” committed to NATO, provided European allies paid their “fair share” of defense costs. During his presidency, Trump imposed “tough demands” on NATO countries to fulfill their pledge to allocate 2% of their GDP to defense. In 2016, only five countries met this target, but by 2020, the number rose to nine. As of 2024, NATO estimates indicate that 23 countries have now met or exceeded the 2% defense spending goal.