In a recent interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press,” former President Donald Trump made a series of false claims regarding various topics such as the 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection.
The Price of Bacon
Trump falsely claimed that the price of bacon has quintupled over the last few years. However, this claim is grossly inaccurate. While the average price of bacon has increased since Trump left office, it is nowhere near a five-fold increase. According to federal data, the average price of sliced bacon was $6.502 per pound in August 2023, compared to $5.831 in January 2021 – an increase of about 11.5%, far from the 400% increase Trump suggests.
Military Equipment Left to the Taliban
Trump repeated a false claim about $85 billion worth of military equipment being left to the Taliban during the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The actual estimate provided by the Defense Department is that the abandoned military equipment was worth around $7.1 billion, out of the roughly $18.6 billion worth of equipment provided to Afghan forces between 2005 and 2021. Additionally, some of the equipment left behind was rendered inoperable before the withdrawal.
Trump and the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline
Trump claimed that he ended the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, but this is not true. While Trump did approve sanctions on companies involved in the project, it was already 90% complete at that point. The pipeline continued construction after Trump’s actions, and Germany later renewed permission for construction in its waters. Trump also falsely claimed that he was the first to bring Nord Stream 2 to the attention of military and political circles, even though the project was a regular subject of discussion before his presidency.
Trump Blames Pelosi for January 6
Trump attempted to place blame on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the January 6 violence at the US Capitol, falsely claiming that she was in charge of security and turned down 10,000 soldiers. The responsibility for Capitol security lies with the Capitol Police Board, not the speaker of the House. Trump’s claim is therefore false.
It is important to fact-check false claims made by public figures in order to provide accurate information to the public and combat misinformation.
Sources:
CNN
Federal data on bacon prices