Fact Check: Did Trump say tariffs pain will settle down by his third term?
WASHINGTON, DC: A claim has been circulating on social media platforms that President Donald Trump announced that the pain from tariffs would settle down by his third term. The claim surfaced amid the Republican leader's tariff war against nations, sparking concerns and mockery among online users and prompting a verification and fact-check.
Claim: Trump said his third term will ease pain from tariffs
The claim surfaced as a post on X (formerly Twitter), accompanied by an article that states Trump has assured Americans that everything would be settled down by the time he begins his third term.
He also allegedly admitted that the temporary market chaos and inflation were caused by inflation, but remained confident that the short-term pain would lead to an economic boom in his next term.
"By the time I'm sworn in on January 20, 2029, all these worries will be in the past," the 80-year-old allegedly said.
"It will be the new golden age of America. People will ask if you remember the market crashing in 2025, and you'll say no, because you'll be too busy counting all your money. We're going to be so rich, and so much stronger when I start my third term; it's going to all be worth it, believe me," he apparently added.
Fact Check: The claim originated as satire
The claim, however, is false, as there are no records of Trump making such a statement. There are no recent press conferences, official announcements, statements, or social media posts from the president or his administration in which he made the remark.
A search on Google for the claim yielded no relevant results from prominent news media outlets, which, if true, would have made headlines, sparking widespread backlash, given the law restricting anyone from running for a third term.
Moreover, the claim was posted by a popular parody account called The Babylon Bee, which describes itself in the bio as "fake news you can trust."
Trump's third term faces 22nd Amendment hurdle
Trump has floated the idea of running for president for a third term several times, often intended as a joke.
Recently, when asked about the possibility of running in 2028, Trump said, “Everybody asks me that question, and you know that the law is very strong on that. I'd love to run, but the law is very strong.”
The 22nd Amendment states that no person can be elected president more than twice. It was ratified by the states in 1951, about six years after the death of Franklin D Roosevelt, who had served four terms.
