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Fact-Checking 3 Claims in Biden’s Farewell Address

Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2025
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President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday night. In his speech, Biden touted his record on the economy and his support for “democracy.”  

“The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France after our Civil War, like the very idea of America, it was built not by one person, but by many people, from every background, and from around the world,” Biden said.

The outgoing president blasted the “wealthy” and “oligarchs” who he said are corrupting politics. He also said that “social media is giving up on fact-checking,” and that Americans are being inundated with misinformation.

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Here is a fact check of some of Biden’s factual claims in his speech.

Job Creation

Biden took credit for producing the greatest amount of job creation for any president in one term. He said that his administration created “nearly 17 million new jobs, more than any other single administration.”

However, that statistic is extremely misleading since most of the job creation happened after mass job losses during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Even Politico has noted that the “U.S. economy didn’t recover all the jobs lost during Covid until 2022.”

A smaller percentage of Americans are working today than there were working when Biden took office.

Heritage Foundation economic and labor policy analyst Rachel Greszler wrote in August that “the unemployment rate alone understates rising non-employment in the United States.”

“Over the past year, the employment-to-population ratio of people ages 16 and older fell from 60.4 to 60.0,” she wrote. “That’s equivalent to 934,000 fewer people working today than just a year ago. And compared to 2020, just prior to the pandemic, there are 2.9 million fewer people working.”

There have also been issues in the administration’s reporting of job growth numbers.

In September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics made a massive correction to its March jobs report and essentially admitted that 818,000 fewer jobs had been created than initially reported.

Jarrett Stepman@JarrettStepman

Jarrett Stepman is a columnist for The Daily Signal. He is also the author of “The War on History: The Conspiracy to Rewrite America’s Past.” 

President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday night. In his speech, Biden touted his record on the economy and his support for “democracy.”  

“The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France after our Civil War, like the very idea of America, it was built not by one person, but by many people, from every background, and from around the world,” Biden said.

The outgoing president blasted the “wealthy” and “oligarchs” who he said are corrupting politics. He also said that “social media is giving up on fact-checking,” and that Americans are being inundated with misinformation.

Here is a fact check of some of Biden’s factual claims in his speech.

Job Creation

Biden took credit for producing the greatest amount of job creation for any president in one term. He said that his administration created “nearly 17 million new jobs, more than any other single administration.”

However, that statistic is extremely misleading since most of the job creation happened after mass job losses during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Even Politico has noted that the “U.S. economy didn’t recover all the jobs lost during Covid until 2022.”

A smaller percentage of Americans are working today than there were working when Biden took office.

Heritage Foundation economic and labor policy analyst Rachel Greszler wrote in August that “the unemployment rate alone understates rising non-employment in the United States.”

“Over the past year, the employment-to-population ratio of people ages 16 and older fell from 60.4 to 60.0,” she wrote. “That’s equivalent to 934,000 fewer people working today than just a year ago. And compared to 2020, just prior to the pandemic, there are 2.9 million fewer people working.”

There have also been issues in the administration’s reporting of job growth numbers.

In September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics made a massive correction to its March jobs report and essentially admitted that 818,000 fewer jobs had been created than initially reported.

Violent Crime

After touting the passage of a gun control law under his administration, Biden said that he’s brought violent crime down to a 50-year low.

“I passed the most significant gun safety law in 30 years and brought violent crime to a 50-year low,” he said.

But violent crime surged under Biden and remains high despite some misleading statistics suggesting a crime decrease.

According to a September report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the “total instances of reported violent crimes increased from 5.6 per 1,000 individuals aged 12 and over in 2020, when [President Donald] Trump was still in office, to 8.7 per 1,000 in 2023.”

Additionally, the study found that there were “9.8 instances of violent crime per 1,000 people aged 12 and over in 2022, which marks the highest rate during the 2020-2023 era.

The New York Post reported in August that “between 2016 and 2020, violent crime fell by 17% under Trump — and soared by 43% under Biden between 2020 and 2022.

Additionally, there are now problems with the recording of crime statistics. Not only are many crimes going unreported, but many city police departments haven’t been reporting complete crime data to the FBI since the system changed in 2021.

Hostage Deal

“After eight months of nonstop negotiation by my administration, a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached by Israel and Hamas,” Biden said. He claimed that the deal struck between Israel and Hamas this week was conducted and developed by his “team.”

However, according to Arab officials, and even the Biden administration itself, this deal was largely hashed out by the incoming Trump administration. The New York Post reported that officials in the Biden administration gave credit to Trump in facilitating the deal between Israel and Hamas.

“Multiple insiders and officials in both Israel and the US told The Post that it was Trump’s impending inauguration — combined with the efforts of his Middle East special envoy, Steve Witkoff, that finally solved a problem that had proved intractable for President Biden and his team,” the New York Post reported.

According to Reuters, “Witkoff was able to pressure Netanyahu into accepting the deal and moving quickly. It’s that conversation that shifted everything into motion.”

Also, according to two Arab officials interviewed by the Times of Israel, Trump did more to sway Netanyahu to make a deal in one day than Biden had done all year.

Reprinted with permission from The Daily Signal by Jarrett Stepman.

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.

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Max
Max
13 days ago

As usual, everything this administration has done, is just FANTASY. NO IMPROVEMENTS, just FAILURES.

Professor Fate
Professor Fate
13 days ago

Lying to the very end! OBiden was reading from a script, as usual. He hasn’t been running this country since his minions cheated him into office. His disgusting wife used him like a disposable utensil, as all the DemoKKKRATS did. Good riddance to bad rubbish!

lawrence greenberg
lawrence greenberg
13 days ago

If nothing else, Braindead Joe is consistent – a consistent liar.
In that brief address, he told enough lies to fill a book.
His legacy will be exactly what I have been saying for more than three years: this administration is the most corrupt, criminal, treasonous administration in this nation’s history.
It was also filled with the largest number of incompetent buffoons ever gathered together in one government at one time.
If we can recover from all the damage intentionally done to our nation by this administration, it will truly be a miracle.

PLZ1123
PLZ1123
13 days ago

You can’t believe a word this idiot says. Biden family and friends ARE the oligarchs he’s talking about. Go kiss Soros’s ring! He had all social media sensor all of his dirt!! He should not have been President! Biden has trampled on every Constitutional right there is and rubbed our noses in it. If we questioned these oligarchs, you were immediately targeted. So many people were unjustly attacked including pastors, grandmothers, etc.
Go retire to one of your homes with the gates tax payers bought! F*%^ YOU BIDEN!

Darlene
Darlene
13 days ago

If his mouth is moving he is lying. He pardoned murderers, and others who had life sentences and also his drug addicted own son who brought cocaine into the White House.
His senility/dementia or whatever is no excuse. Who behind the scenes has been running our government while his mental capacity languished?????????
When will people wake up and see that democrats care nothing for us, out here working land, and worse they hate their own country.

Emma Watson
Emma Watson
13 days ago

The Statue of Liberty was designed and built in France by French workers, not people from around the world. It was merely unassembled, shipped to the US, and reassembled. It wasn’t built here.

GregM
GregM
13 days ago

Thankful that we have a President Elect that is able to accomplish a lot of things that are beneficial to Americans before he has officially started his 2nd term. January 20th can’t get here fast enough!

Joe
Joe
13 days ago

I refused to watch this sack of lies spew his garbage last night. He spent the last four years destroying our nation and the only promise he kept was to flood our country with ILLEGAL ALIENS. Good riddance!!!!

Carol Tanner
Carol Tanner
13 days ago

Im so glad President Trump is returning to office next week.

David S.
David S.
13 days ago

I’m surprised Biden’s nose didn’t get longer with all the lies he has told over the past years including comments in his farewell speech. He has been in the political spotlight for years and has done nothing to show for it except drive America into the ground. Biden’s support of al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah in the war against Israel is unparalled and anti-American. He has supported and advocated for trans-males to play in womens sports, allowed payments to BLM (Black Live Matter) and open the American borders to everyone including known terrorists and hardened foreign crimminals and gang members. Biden has given away BILLIONS of US taxpayer dollars to foreign countries and ignored Americans including military veterans.

VikkiC
VikkiC
13 days ago

Guess he was describing himself,  “wealthy” and “oligarchs” who are corrupting politics. One thing we can all be sure about…when his lips are moving, he is lying through his dentures….

Kaiju
Kaiju
13 days ago

Which ventriloquist was pulling the dummy’s chain?

J. FARLEY
J. FARLEY
13 days ago

I hope the door hits him in the A$$ on his way out and that it leaves a Mark!
Liar, Lair, I hope his pants catch on fire!

Poppa John
Poppa John
13 days ago

Such a despicable human being I have rarely seen in all my years. Nothing but the worst for him and his lying, cheating, stealing family going forward.
The only oligarch trying to take over this country he gave a medal of freedom to last week.
Hopefully we get term limits established so this country never, ever produces another one like him.

George M
George M
13 days ago

What a stain on the United States Biden’s presidency has been. Incompetent, corrupt, a constant liar. His only accomplishment was relieving Jimmy Carter of being the worst president in history, while Jimmy was still alive. Scranton Joe holds that title now and it is really doubtful his record of incompetence can ever be exceeded without a for real impeachment.

Charlie Beaver
Charlie Beaver
13 days ago

Sadly he continues to decline, but happily he’ll be a sad footnote in history Soon

Stan
Stan
13 days ago

As illegitimate corrupt lying incompetent moron he solidified his place in history as such as the worst one.

Thinking
Thinking
13 days ago

A few more days of this lying President Biden. I am still surprised that 37% of the people think Biden did a good job. He had nothing to brag about. And what he bragged about, democracy, he had to go back to the Civil War and a monument made by foreigners to justify democracy. He destroyed America. He created wars and couldn’t get a cease fire established or hostages released. He forgot the people in America and aided the Ukraine to the detriment of the homeless and sick people in the US. Hallujah for Trump and Inauguration Day Monday January 20-2025. 249 years after our Independence from Great Britain we are getting our Independence back from the elite globalists that want to destroy America. USA. United States of America. E pluribus Unum. Out of one, many.

michaelR
michaelR
13 days ago

It’s a laugh the way the crats re-define the word “democracy” to cover up their blunders. Why didn’t Joe bring up his US border disaster that allowed 15 million homeless illegal aliens into the US at tax payer expense?? WHY,….because Biden’s been nothing but a tool for the progressive socialist’s that have been running his administration as well as run the US over a cliff.

michael
michael
13 days ago

delusional, lying sack of c**p

Pappy
Pappy
12 days ago

It’s Clinton 101. When caught lying, state the other side is lying more. Watching the democrats since Bill Clinton reveals that what they accuse the other side of is what they are the best experts in doing. That is why they can be so convincing when accusing…they know the evil practices better than anyone. How evil? Look at how many people could have hurt the Clinton’s that wound up in the grave. You can find at least 56. That is a lot of coincidences. The accusation about oligarchy is laughable. Check the Geore Soros and son relationships. Evil does exist, and the ballot slot supported has a great big D BY THE NAME.

Amy C
Amy C
13 days ago

Good riddance!

FDC
FDC
13 days ago

I agree with the comments I read and B iden et al should be remembered as total failures and habitual liars…however, more importantly is that I hope he is not remembered as the President that financially and morally killed America and fostered WWIII.

Gary
Gary
13 days ago

Biden and his administration was never in touch with real issues and problems facing our nation. His open border policies was a total fiasco. Criminals released from foreign nations were treated like heros and were given free Healthcare, housing, taxpayers money, and released from jail for crimes they committed. He was the worst president ever to lead our nation in the wrong direction. He took credit for the good things he should have done and not for his failures.

John
John
12 days ago

Arrogant, narcissistic, and lying old fool. We’ve put up with this guy for 50 years. Bye.

Peter B.
Peter B.
12 days ago

As of next Monday, we all need to sober up from this Biden demon-crap Marxist nightmare. We need to keep our foot on the gas and start at the local level with neighbors and family (who are not trying ot undermine us) to rebuild free speech and an unstoppable grass roots network. It won’t be easu or popular as the communists have done a damn good job of infiltrating and infecting minds everywhere. Obama’s wing man, Erik Kolder, has been masterminding the reformed remnants of the old Acorn organization and (I get their regular emails and updates incognito) let me tell you: they are very well organized down to the small local levels of even neighborhoos associtations. Don’t take my word for it; look into it yourself. You may be scared poop-less as was I, but it motivated me to really get busy. Get busy now, network now in your community, keep in touch with the national organizations like TPUSA and follow NewsMax, Real America Voice, and others. It can be done, the USA can be saved, but an attitude of ‘I don’t wanna make waves’ will have you loosing more freedoms by the mid-terms. My energies and actions have brought 4 family members and 3 friends to the conservative point of view. Not a big deal? It has to grow one at a time. It’s a fierce wind we’re facing, but truth is stronger. If you don’t want to do it, your children or grandchildren may never have the option of freedom. Premier Chi asked Biden to define America. Brandon said, “Possibilities.” Wrong Joe! The correct answer is “Freedom.” Read Ronald Reagan’s inaugural speech from 1980 and savor the full meaning. Then Pray. Then get busy. Isn’t The USofA worth the effort? It takes some courage to realize that evil only takes over when good men (women too) do nothing. No sidelines from here on out if were going to have a meaningful tri-centennial someday. I’ll be dead, but I’m doing my utmost. Join me. Get educated; get busy.

uncleferd
uncleferd
12 days ago

The “wealthy and the oligarchs”, especially those who are not American, were actually paying Biden… most likely for information and other favors… in illicit transactions that other criminal heads of state have hung for.
The liberal press stopped fact-checking to protect Biden from his own performance while in office, which, by the way, has no equal in the extensive damage done to this nation and the collective wealth of Americans.
This is a really vain, selfish old guy who lies a lot, and never should have been President… or anywhere close.

Paul
Paul
13 days ago

Reading this is so laughable. First and foremost, what does Biden know anything of democracy? Under his “dictatorship he screwed the American people with his higher taxes and is a capital murderer. Second the only thing he was right about is we were misinformed and misinformed all for the wrong reasons. We were misinformation by his buddies of left wing radical media. Third, what does he mean when he says that the next administration is focused on power and wealth. Really Joe? What kind of drugs is your doctors giving you? This made me LAOM!! Also had the gull to meet with the Pope. Wow!! Pope is an idiot for having ANY TIME to spend with a murderer. Shows you how shallow Pope is.

PapaYEC
PapaYEC
12 days ago

Yep. Cheating, lying, stealing, treason, persecuting and falsely prosecuting critics and dissidents, perverting and destroying children, starting and propagating wars, and destroying all that is helpful and good. The Biden/Democrat legacy.
Imo

Mark
Mark
12 days ago

In defense of the MOST CORRUPT, AND WORST POTUS IN AMERICA’S HISTORY, JOE BIDEN, I will have to say that HE DOESN’T ALWAYS LIE. NO SIR. IT’S ONLY WHEN HE OPENS HIS PIE HOLE.

Pete
Pete
12 days ago

As a rule of thumb, if Biden is talking like all democrats, he’s lying.

Franklin Werkheiser
Franklin Werkheiser
12 days ago

Why in the hell did you even watch it to begin with. He spent 4 years doing nothing but what Obama and the other Democrats told him to do. He was Braindead from day 1 and not only couldn’t he make a sentence on his own, but he also couldn’t even read a complete sentence off a teleprompter so why did you waste your time even watching his farewell speech everyone knew was going to be a Train Wreck of more BS.

Pappy
Pappy
12 days ago

Funny thing about his Pope visit and that he followed up with the award of a medal to the Pope. I think Joe is so used to kickbacks and deals that the act of awarding the Pope a medal is to get reinstated at his church to be allowed to take Communion. Not sure he knows what that really means, but probably doesn’t want on his legacy record.

Charlotte Mahin
Charlotte Mahin
12 days ago

Stopped listening to his speeches even before he was president. Why listen when he is going to stand up and lie through the whole speech? He is a great president in his dementia riddled brain and no where else. He destroyed everything he touched from day one to last night. I pray that President Trump is well protected for the next four years. They tried to kill him twice during the campaigning and they will undoubtedly try again. And now we know that the FBI does not take his protection seriously because they showed the whole country how they respond to protecting him last summer. Monday is going to be a day of great celebrating…if the rotten Communists in DC don’t pull one of their dastardly tricks.

P2burner
P2burner
12 days ago

Can we just leave the term “fact-checking” in 2024? First, it’s dumb, and smart people know he is just going to lie, no facts involved.

Terry Reeveshanger
Terry Reeveshanger
12 days ago

Now, leave, and zip it.

Thomas D Booth
Thomas D Booth
13 days ago

He probably didn’t even know what he was saying.

anna hubert
anna hubert
13 days ago

Blasting wealthy and oligarchs, no comment As for the other claims , no comment, let the facts speak.

jimmy
jimmy
13 days ago

Look at the presidential vote tallies.

TPS
TPS
12 days ago

Lies, lies, and more lies what else would you be expecting from joe. IMO

Jeff
Jeff
12 days ago

What about the accomplishments of Hunter and his pardoning?

Myrna
Myrna
12 days ago

Biden seems to think he can say anything and make it credible. Meanwhile, his audience wonders whether he will be able to read the script.

Staber
Staber
12 days ago

Now why would he stop lying now? It’s his very essence. That and plagiarizing, taking credit for other’s accomplishments, passing blame to others, and fondling, don’t forget creepy fondling. Of course, TDS type are blind to all of this.

Granny26
Granny26
12 days ago

Biden is such a freaking liar. Or maybe he’s just delusional??? Anyway he didn’t do anything positive during his ‘reign’ which I still think was illegal as he didn’t really win the election.

CLIFFORD F GERACI
CLIFFORD F GERACI
12 days ago

What amazes me more than anything is that he still have a 33%approval record. After all the inflation raising everyone’s cost of living , allowing approximately13M illegal aliens to invade our country, Releasing $100B to Iran enabling them to fund terrorism and invade Israel, being as corrupt as he was to allow his son to grift foreign countries for profit, and allowing Putin to invade Ukraine, a third of Americans love all that he has done….AMAZING!!!!

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
12 days ago

Gee this might be the last time (Thank God) I get to say this: F**k Joe Biden. Take your money and run, Brandon.

Rick
Rick
12 days ago

What a jerk!

Michael
Michael
12 days ago

joey biden is a lying ball of crap.
That’s my opinion.

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
12 days ago

He seeded the Tech Oligarch that he spoke of

John Knipler
John Knipler
12 days ago

Democrats should not be trusted with the truth…

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