Trump has made increasingly sweeping claims about new investments flowing into the United States, citing figures as high as $21 trillion since taking office.
“Twenty-one trillion dollars will be the amount invested in the United States — or committed to invest — in one year,” Trump said in a November meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In an Oval Office event this Wednesday, he said, “In 10 months, we have $18 trillion being invested.”
But a CBS News review found no evidence that total commitments or new investments approach the scale Trump has cited. While companies and foreign governments have announced large-scale projects since his inauguration, the White House has not provided documentation showing total investments approaching $21 trillion — an amount roughly two-thirds of the annual GDP.
Correct headline: Trump pulls a big number out of his ass, waves it around, and corporate media reports it as fact.