Statement: The Trump administration “added more to the national debt than any presidential term in American history.”
During his 2024 State of the Union address, President Joe Biden referred frequently to his “predecessor,” who happens to be the expected Republican nominee trying to deny him reelection this year.
Without using Donald Trump’s name, Biden focused part of his March 7 speech on his many contrasts with his presidential predecessor, which Biden said extended to management of the nation’s finances.
Trump’s administration “added more to the national debt than any presidential term in American history,” Biden said. “Check the numbers, folks.”
We did.

Experts say it’s hard to draw a straight line between presidents and the debt accrued on their watch. But beyond that, there are different ways to view the numbers, and some are not favorable to Biden’s assertion.Â
Biden left out that the debt on his watch is on pace to…


