Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania Town Hall: Checking Key Claims of Ex-Prez

Donald Trump and Kristi Noem at the town hall.

Photo: AP

donald trumpA town hall in Oaks, a suburb of Philadelphia, turned into a music concert Monday after two attendees fell ill. However, the former president answered a few questions from pre-selected audience members while South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem moderated the session. As Trump answered questions, he made several misleading and false claims.

Here’s a fact-check of the top misleading claims made by Donald Trump at the Pennsylvania town hall.

Interest rates under Donald Trump

What Trump said: “We had interest rates at 2 percent, and now they’re 10 percent.”

Fact: During Trump’s presidency, mortgage rates hit a low of 2.65% for 30-year and 2.1% for 15-year fixed rates, while on October 10, 2024, the average of 30 years was 6.32%.

Biden administration added 818,000 ‘fake jobs’

What Trump said: “They added 818,000 fake jobs, and padded the job numbers a couple of months ago to make the jobs look better… they were fake.”

Fact: In August 2024, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a “benchmark revision” of employment data for March 2024. The BLS adjusted the numbers downward by 818,000 jobs using the unemployment insurance tax records, with final revisions expected in February 2025.

Claims about US withdrawal from Afghanistan

What Trump said: “We didn’t lose a soldier in 18 months until this catastrophe happened when they took over.”

Fact: The Department of Defense’s Defense Casualty Analysis System reported two hostile deaths and five non-hostile or pending deaths in the 18 months prior to the August 2021 withdrawal.

Springfield Ohio has added 32,000 ‘illegal immigrants’

What Trump said: “Springfield, Ohio, a city of 50,000, just added 32,000 people (who are) illegal immigrants.”

Fact: Springfield, Ohio, issued a statement saying Clark County’s immigrant population is approximately 12,000 to 15,000 people.

101,000 people attended Trump’s Butler Pennsylvania

What Trump said: “In Butler, Pennsylvania … we had 101,000 people.”

Fact: Trump claimed a large crowd at a recent rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, though media attendees reported fewer than 59,000.

Easier to enter the United States illegally than through naturalization

What Trump said: “People are going to come into our country legally. You know it’s so unfair that you have people who are waiting … they’re tested, and then people will come, I’m actually like, ‘Why don’t you come in?'”

Fact: Trump referred to the English and civics tests required for legal U.S. citizenship. However, non-citizens who enter illegally face deportation, a five-year re-entry ban and possible criminal charges.