Trump's Return to the White House Marked by Controversial Claims

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Donald Trump, inaugurated for a second term as the 47th president of the United States, has quickly resumed making a series of factually dubious assertions. Within minutes of his inaugural address on January 20, 2025, Trump claimed that the "weaponisation of the justice department" would come to an end, despite lacking evidence that former president Joe Biden orchestrated any government actions against him.

During his first week in office, Trump has been criticized for promoting misinformation on numerous topics, including immigration, the economy, and the Panama Canal. In his inaugural speech, he alleged that the U.S. government fails to protect citizens while harboring criminals, a statement that lacks substantiated evidence. He also vowed to combat inflation, which peaked at 9.1% under Biden, yet historically, inflation has been higher at other times.

Making further headlines, Trump voiced false assertions regarding the Panama Canal, inaccurately stating that China controls it and that the U.S. Navy is being overcharged. Officials in Panama have refuted these claims. He has also perpetuated the false narrative that the 2020 election was "rigged" and that then House speaker Nancy Pelosi refused an offer for troops during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, despite no formal orders being issued by Trump at the time.

As he faces criticism for his misleading statements, many believe that Trump's approach to communication remains strategic, aiming to distort perceptions of truth while undermining institutions and credible sources of information. In a polarized political landscape, fact-checkers are pressed to keep up with the rapidly evolving narratives coming from the White House.

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