Trump’s Address in 2025: Truth or Deceptive Illusion? A New Era or Renewal of Old Lies?
Analysis: Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada
In the world of politics, shrouded in the mists of time, there are certain figures whose presence leaves indelible marks on history. Donald Trump is one such figure, who is not just a politician but has become a symbol of an ideology, a mindset, and a psychological struggle. His address at the joint session of the U.S. Congress in 2025 was not merely a collection of words, but a narrative that raised deep questions not only about America’s internal politics but also about global relations. President Donald Trump’s first address at the joint session of Congress in 2025 was filled with numerous false, exaggerated, and misleading statements. Trump made various claims on topics like the economy, immigration, social security, foreign policy, and other matters that could be proven false when scrutinized against the facts. The address lasted for almost 1 hour and 40 minutes, including applause, cheers, and other reactions. The “American Presidency Project” at the University of California, Santa Barbara recorded it as one of the longest speeches at a joint session of Congress since at least 1964, including State of the Union addresses. During this time, Trump spoke about topics such as the economy, immigration, social security, foreign policy, law and justice, and national security. The words were full of zeal, the tone was confident, and the style was the same traditional aggressive one that mesmerizes his supporters. But when the mask of these words is peeled away, another world of reality emerges—a world where claims are in direct conflict with the truth, and where the “Golden Age” hides painful truths behind it.
Although the length of the speech was historic and it provoked a strong reaction from the opposition, upon examining the facts behind Trump’s claims, it becomes clear that most of his speech consisted of unsubstantiated or misleading statements. When Trump, in his typical aggressive style, declared the beginning of a “Golden Age,” it was not just a promise but the selling of a dream. However, history is a witness that whenever rulers sell dreams of a golden age, the cost of those dreams is often paid in the blood and sweat of ordinary people. The question remains: is this speech truly a harbinger of America’s lost greatness, or is it just another attempt to present past mistakes in a new light? The language of the speech sparkled, the words were enthusiastic, and the tone was full of confidence. But behind the trees of words, a jungle of reality was hidden—new methods of deception were sought.
Trump’s 2025 speech was full of misleading and false statements. Some claims were correct or partially correct, but most could be proven wrong when examined in the light of facts. Politically, this speech could be effective, but it cannot be called true when judged against the scale of truth. For instance, Trump claimed that his administration had struck a decisive blow against fentanyl smuggling, but the truth is that the figures contradict his claims. A large portion of drugs coming from Mexico is smuggled by American citizens, and the quantities intercepted at the Canadian border are negligible. Similarly, the promises of economic growth were similarly misleading. His claim that “we will make billions of dollars from tariffs” is just another old economic deception, used by many rulers to fool their people. In the past, such taxes led to inflation for consumers and harmed small businesses. However, the echoes of powerful voices often drown out weak truths.
In his speech, Trump openly thanked the Pakistani government for the capture of the main terrorist behind the Kabul airport attack. It is unclear whether this was a genuine thank you to Pakistan or part of a new conspiracy, but this line was not just a diplomatic acknowledgment—it was also a signal of shifting global power dynamics. While political parties like PTI were spending millions of dollars on American lobbying, the U.S. government was making secret agreements with military institutions. The reality has now become clear that global powers’ policies do not change due to a party’s lobbying or protests, but rather because of national interests and hidden diplomatic agreements. Those who believed that revolutions in the U.S. would emerge from a few protests or social media campaigns should now mourn their simplicity.
This speech left several lessons for Pakistan as well, especially for political parties that believe they can change their country’s fate with the help of foreign powers. History has repeatedly shown that imperial powers are friends only to their own interests, not to any party, leader, or ideology.
Similarly, when Trump declared that “somehow we will acquire Greenland,” his words reminded us of the imperial movements of the 19th century. Today’s imperialism is not imposed through guns and wars, but through economic sanctions, diplomatic agreements, and promises of so-called freedom. This narrative reminds us that in global politics, the powerful are always trying to swallow the weak. The only difference now is that today’s rulers cloak their imperial ambitions in slogans like “democracy” and “global peace.”
Trump’s statement that “every child is perfect, just as God made them” may seem like a religious position, but behind it lies a deep political maneuver. History shows that whenever rulers make people’s emotional issues part of their politics, their goal is not human welfare, but rather to strengthen their political power. Trump demanded the mandatory death penalty for police killers, yet he is the same person who pardoned thousands of individuals involved in the January 6th attack—many of whom had attacked police officers. This duplicity has always been a hallmark of powerful rulers throughout history.
Trump also claimed that there are 3.5 million people aged between 140 to 149 in the Social Security database, and many of them are receiving payments. However, this claim is entirely false. The information was taken from an unverified chart shared by Elon Musk on X (formerly Twitter). According to Social Security officials, people over 100 years old who do not have a death date recorded in their records do not necessarily receive benefits. The actual figures show that only 89,000 people aged 99 and above are receiving Social Security benefits.
Trump also claimed that “we have uncovered fraud worth hundreds of billions of dollars,” but in reality, this claim is an exaggeration. Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) only identified potential savings of $105 billion, while the actual evidence only supports $20 billion. Trump’s claim that 21 million people entered the U.S. in the past four years, many of whom are dangerous criminals, is also exaggerated. Border authorities report approximately 10.4 million illegal border crossings between 2021 and 2025, but this refers to events, not individual people.
Trump also claimed that tariffs would bring in trillions of dollars and create unprecedented jobs, but the truth is that the tariffs imposed in 2018 benefitted local industries temporarily but forced consumers to pay higher prices, which harmed the economy. Regarding U.S. expenditures on Ukraine, Trump claimed that “we may have spent $350 billion on Ukraine,” but official U.S. government figures show that aid to Ukraine has totaled $183 billion, while the European Union provided $145 billion.
Trump’s claims about fentanyl and border security also misrepresented the facts. Fentanyl is indeed a major issue, but most of it is smuggled through legal commercial routes, not by illegal immigrants. According to figures for the fiscal year 2024, U.S. authorities seized 22,000 pounds of fentanyl, with only 43 pounds (less than 1%) intercepted at the U.S.-Canada border. Deaths from fentanyl overdose decreased from 77,000 in 2023 to 53,000 in 2024.
Trump’s claim that the Paris Climate Agreement cost the U.S. trillions of dollars is unverified. An economic report had estimated that reducing fossil fuel use under the Paris Agreement could affect production, but it did not account for opportunities created by alternative energy sources. Regarding public opinion, Trump claimed that “for the first time in modern history, more Americans believe our country is heading in the right direction,” but this claim was based on a specific survey. Two recent surveys may show positive opinions, but 17 other surveys indicate that the majority of Americans believe the country is heading in the wrong direction. According to RealClearPolitics data, two surveys showed more support for the “right direction,” but 17 others showed a majority in favor of the “wrong direction.”
Trump concluded his speech with the words: “America’s golden age has just begun,” but the question remains—whose golden age is this? Will it be for just the capitalists, arms manufacturers, and lobbying firms, or will part of it reach ordinary Americans and the marginalized classes?
