Latest Fact-checks in Deficit Clear Any Rating True Mostly True Half True Mostly False False Pants on Fire Full Flop Half Flip No Flip Any Speaker Any Date Range Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last 12 Months 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Any Category Ron Johnson stated on June 26, 2017 in an op-ed in the New York Times: "We are $20 trillion in debt. The Congressional Budget Office projects an additional $129 trillion of accumulated deficits over the next 30 years." Keith Ellison stated on January 5, 2017 in a tweet: "House GOP rules package bars CBO from counting spikes in deficit spending spurred by an ACA repeal." Mike Pence stated on October 4, 2016 in the 2016 Vice Presidential debate: Says Tim Kaine "actually tried to raise taxes by about $4 billion." Hillary Clinton stated on September 26, 2016 in a Presidential debate at Hofstra University: According to "independent experts," Donald Trump's tax plan "would blow up the debt by over $5 trillion and would in some instances disadvantage middle-class families compared to the wealthy." Hillary Clinton stated on September 26, 2016 in a Presidential debate: Says Donald Trump once suggested that he "would try to negotiate down the national debt." Donald Trump stated on August 31, 2016 in a speech: Says "Hillary Clinton has pledged amnesty in her first 100 days, and her plan will provide Obamacare, Social Security, and Medicare for illegal immigrants, breaking the federal budget." Gary Johnson stated on August 11, 2016 in an interview on Fox News: "The Pentagon itself says that we could eliminate 20 percent of U.S. bases." Mike Pence stated on July 20, 2016 in a speech at the Republican convention: "We in Indiana have . . . the highest credit rating in the nation." Hillary Clinton stated on July 12, 2016 in a speech in Portsmouth, N.H.: "Independent analysts say (Donald Trump) would add $30 trillion to the national debt." Sean Duffy stated on April 22, 2016 in a radio ad: On how to respond to Puerto Rico’s debt crisis. Ben Carson stated on April 20, 2016 in a Fox Business interview: "Andrew Jackson was the last president who actually balanced the federal budget, where we had no national debt." Jeb Bush stated on February 5, 2016 in a column posted on Medium.com: "Barack Obama will somehow manage to add more than $8 trillion to the national debt, which is more debt than the 43 presidents who held office before him compiled together." Barack Obama stated on January 12, 2016 in the State of the Union address: We have cut "our deficits by almost three-quarters." American Action Network stated on December 8, 2015 in a newspaper ad: "Under conservative leadership, Congress has reduced the federal deficit by 60 percent – nearly $800 billion." Rand Paul stated on October 28, 2015 in a Republican presidential debate in Boulder, Colo.: The debt limit deal "allows President Obama to borrow unlimited amounts of money." Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2015 in a press conference: Today, the deficit is "below the average deficits over the past 40 years." John Kasich stated on September 27, 2015 in an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation": "When I left Washington, we had a $5 trillion surplus." Occupy Democrats stated on April 25, 2015 in a meme first posted on Facebook: Says "Bush Jr. handed Obama a $1.4 trillion deficit" and Obama "reduced Bush Jr.’s deficit to just $492 billion." Donald Trump stated on July 25, 2015 in a speech: Under Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin "projected a $1 billion (budget) surplus and it turns out to be a deficit of $2.2 billion." Kelly Ayotte stated on July 1, 2015 in a town hall meeting in Colebrook, N.H.: The federal deficit would pay for 40 gallons of "New Hampshire maple syrup" for everyone in the United States. Rand Paul stated on July 17, 2015 in a campaign rally in Houston: "We borrow a million dollars every minute." Barack Obama stated on July 2, 2015 in a speech: "We've cut the deficit by two-thirds." Patricia Morgan stated on May 27, 2015 in a news conference: The Convention Center "was sold as a building that would never cost taxpayers a dime." Lindsey Graham stated on March 8, 2015 in a speech in Concord, N.H.: "If you took every penny of the 1 percent, including their dog, you wouldn't even begin to balance the budget." Tom Price stated on March 18, 2015 in the 2016 Budget Resolution from House Budget Committee: Under current conditions, by 2023, the interest payments on the national debt will be $722 billion, larger than the projected defense spending of $696 billion. Barack Obama stated on January 20, 2015 in his 2015 State of the Union address: We've seen "our deficits cut by two-thirds." Ernest Almonte stated on October 19, 2014 in a television commercial: Seth Magaziner "plans to spend billions more of your money." Ernest Almonte stated on October 5, 2014 in an interview on WLNE's "On the Record": "I was speaking out on pension reform almost 17 years ago." Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2014 in a speech at Northwestern University: The cost of "health care is now the single-biggest factor driving down" the federal budget deficit. Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2014 in a speech at Northwestern University: "When I took office, the deficit was nearly 10 percent of our economy. Today, it's approaching 3 percent."
Clear Any Rating True Mostly True Half True Mostly False False Pants on Fire Full Flop Half Flip No Flip Any Speaker Any Date Range Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last 12 Months 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Any Category
Ron Johnson stated on June 26, 2017 in an op-ed in the New York Times: "We are $20 trillion in debt. The Congressional Budget Office projects an additional $129 trillion of accumulated deficits over the next 30 years." Keith Ellison stated on January 5, 2017 in a tweet: "House GOP rules package bars CBO from counting spikes in deficit spending spurred by an ACA repeal." Mike Pence stated on October 4, 2016 in the 2016 Vice Presidential debate: Says Tim Kaine "actually tried to raise taxes by about $4 billion." Hillary Clinton stated on September 26, 2016 in a Presidential debate at Hofstra University: According to "independent experts," Donald Trump's tax plan "would blow up the debt by over $5 trillion and would in some instances disadvantage middle-class families compared to the wealthy." Hillary Clinton stated on September 26, 2016 in a Presidential debate: Says Donald Trump once suggested that he "would try to negotiate down the national debt." Donald Trump stated on August 31, 2016 in a speech: Says "Hillary Clinton has pledged amnesty in her first 100 days, and her plan will provide Obamacare, Social Security, and Medicare for illegal immigrants, breaking the federal budget." Gary Johnson stated on August 11, 2016 in an interview on Fox News: "The Pentagon itself says that we could eliminate 20 percent of U.S. bases." Mike Pence stated on July 20, 2016 in a speech at the Republican convention: "We in Indiana have . . . the highest credit rating in the nation." Hillary Clinton stated on July 12, 2016 in a speech in Portsmouth, N.H.: "Independent analysts say (Donald Trump) would add $30 trillion to the national debt." Sean Duffy stated on April 22, 2016 in a radio ad: On how to respond to Puerto Rico’s debt crisis. Ben Carson stated on April 20, 2016 in a Fox Business interview: "Andrew Jackson was the last president who actually balanced the federal budget, where we had no national debt." Jeb Bush stated on February 5, 2016 in a column posted on Medium.com: "Barack Obama will somehow manage to add more than $8 trillion to the national debt, which is more debt than the 43 presidents who held office before him compiled together." Barack Obama stated on January 12, 2016 in the State of the Union address: We have cut "our deficits by almost three-quarters." American Action Network stated on December 8, 2015 in a newspaper ad: "Under conservative leadership, Congress has reduced the federal deficit by 60 percent – nearly $800 billion." Rand Paul stated on October 28, 2015 in a Republican presidential debate in Boulder, Colo.: The debt limit deal "allows President Obama to borrow unlimited amounts of money." Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2015 in a press conference: Today, the deficit is "below the average deficits over the past 40 years." John Kasich stated on September 27, 2015 in an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation": "When I left Washington, we had a $5 trillion surplus." Occupy Democrats stated on April 25, 2015 in a meme first posted on Facebook: Says "Bush Jr. handed Obama a $1.4 trillion deficit" and Obama "reduced Bush Jr.’s deficit to just $492 billion." Donald Trump stated on July 25, 2015 in a speech: Under Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin "projected a $1 billion (budget) surplus and it turns out to be a deficit of $2.2 billion." Kelly Ayotte stated on July 1, 2015 in a town hall meeting in Colebrook, N.H.: The federal deficit would pay for 40 gallons of "New Hampshire maple syrup" for everyone in the United States. Rand Paul stated on July 17, 2015 in a campaign rally in Houston: "We borrow a million dollars every minute." Barack Obama stated on July 2, 2015 in a speech: "We've cut the deficit by two-thirds." Patricia Morgan stated on May 27, 2015 in a news conference: The Convention Center "was sold as a building that would never cost taxpayers a dime." Lindsey Graham stated on March 8, 2015 in a speech in Concord, N.H.: "If you took every penny of the 1 percent, including their dog, you wouldn't even begin to balance the budget." Tom Price stated on March 18, 2015 in the 2016 Budget Resolution from House Budget Committee: Under current conditions, by 2023, the interest payments on the national debt will be $722 billion, larger than the projected defense spending of $696 billion. Barack Obama stated on January 20, 2015 in his 2015 State of the Union address: We've seen "our deficits cut by two-thirds." Ernest Almonte stated on October 19, 2014 in a television commercial: Seth Magaziner "plans to spend billions more of your money." Ernest Almonte stated on October 5, 2014 in an interview on WLNE's "On the Record": "I was speaking out on pension reform almost 17 years ago." Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2014 in a speech at Northwestern University: The cost of "health care is now the single-biggest factor driving down" the federal budget deficit. Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2014 in a speech at Northwestern University: "When I took office, the deficit was nearly 10 percent of our economy. Today, it's approaching 3 percent."
Ron Johnson stated on June 26, 2017 in an op-ed in the New York Times: "We are $20 trillion in debt. The Congressional Budget Office projects an additional $129 trillion of accumulated deficits over the next 30 years."
Keith Ellison stated on January 5, 2017 in a tweet: "House GOP rules package bars CBO from counting spikes in deficit spending spurred by an ACA repeal."
Mike Pence stated on October 4, 2016 in the 2016 Vice Presidential debate: Says Tim Kaine "actually tried to raise taxes by about $4 billion."
Hillary Clinton stated on September 26, 2016 in a Presidential debate at Hofstra University: According to "independent experts," Donald Trump's tax plan "would blow up the debt by over $5 trillion and would in some instances disadvantage middle-class families compared to the wealthy."
Hillary Clinton stated on September 26, 2016 in a Presidential debate: Says Donald Trump once suggested that he "would try to negotiate down the national debt."
Donald Trump stated on August 31, 2016 in a speech: Says "Hillary Clinton has pledged amnesty in her first 100 days, and her plan will provide Obamacare, Social Security, and Medicare for illegal immigrants, breaking the federal budget."
Gary Johnson stated on August 11, 2016 in an interview on Fox News: "The Pentagon itself says that we could eliminate 20 percent of U.S. bases."
Mike Pence stated on July 20, 2016 in a speech at the Republican convention: "We in Indiana have . . . the highest credit rating in the nation."
Hillary Clinton stated on July 12, 2016 in a speech in Portsmouth, N.H.: "Independent analysts say (Donald Trump) would add $30 trillion to the national debt."
Ben Carson stated on April 20, 2016 in a Fox Business interview: "Andrew Jackson was the last president who actually balanced the federal budget, where we had no national debt."
Jeb Bush stated on February 5, 2016 in a column posted on Medium.com: "Barack Obama will somehow manage to add more than $8 trillion to the national debt, which is more debt than the 43 presidents who held office before him compiled together."
Barack Obama stated on January 12, 2016 in the State of the Union address: We have cut "our deficits by almost three-quarters."
American Action Network stated on December 8, 2015 in a newspaper ad: "Under conservative leadership, Congress has reduced the federal deficit by 60 percent – nearly $800 billion."
Rand Paul stated on October 28, 2015 in a Republican presidential debate in Boulder, Colo.: The debt limit deal "allows President Obama to borrow unlimited amounts of money."
Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2015 in a press conference: Today, the deficit is "below the average deficits over the past 40 years."
John Kasich stated on September 27, 2015 in an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation": "When I left Washington, we had a $5 trillion surplus."
Occupy Democrats stated on April 25, 2015 in a meme first posted on Facebook: Says "Bush Jr. handed Obama a $1.4 trillion deficit" and Obama "reduced Bush Jr.’s deficit to just $492 billion."
Donald Trump stated on July 25, 2015 in a speech: Under Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin "projected a $1 billion (budget) surplus and it turns out to be a deficit of $2.2 billion."
Kelly Ayotte stated on July 1, 2015 in a town hall meeting in Colebrook, N.H.: The federal deficit would pay for 40 gallons of "New Hampshire maple syrup" for everyone in the United States.
Rand Paul stated on July 17, 2015 in a campaign rally in Houston: "We borrow a million dollars every minute."
Patricia Morgan stated on May 27, 2015 in a news conference: The Convention Center "was sold as a building that would never cost taxpayers a dime."
Lindsey Graham stated on March 8, 2015 in a speech in Concord, N.H.: "If you took every penny of the 1 percent, including their dog, you wouldn't even begin to balance the budget."
Tom Price stated on March 18, 2015 in the 2016 Budget Resolution from House Budget Committee: Under current conditions, by 2023, the interest payments on the national debt will be $722 billion, larger than the projected defense spending of $696 billion.
Barack Obama stated on January 20, 2015 in his 2015 State of the Union address: We've seen "our deficits cut by two-thirds."
Ernest Almonte stated on October 19, 2014 in a television commercial: Seth Magaziner "plans to spend billions more of your money."
Ernest Almonte stated on October 5, 2014 in an interview on WLNE's "On the Record": "I was speaking out on pension reform almost 17 years ago."
Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2014 in a speech at Northwestern University: The cost of "health care is now the single-biggest factor driving down" the federal budget deficit.
Barack Obama stated on October 2, 2014 in a speech at Northwestern University: "When I took office, the deficit was nearly 10 percent of our economy. Today, it's approaching 3 percent."
