On a recent campaign swing in Pennsylvania, President Joe Biden made several claims that fact-checkers have disputed, adding controversy to his speeches

During a campaign trip in Pennsylvania, President Joe Biden made multiple statements that have since been scrutinized for their accuracy. The three-day tour included speeches where Biden addressed topics ranging from his past earnings to prescription drug caps for seniors, often resulting in fact-checkers challenging his assertions.

In one of his speeches in Scranton, Biden claimed he never earned $400,000 annually. However, public tax records reveal that as president, his salary alone matches this figure, not accounting for additional income, which significantly exceeded $400,000 in recent years. Prior to his presidency, while serving as a senator and later vice president, Biden’s income varied, occasionally surpassing the $400,000 mark.

Another contentious point was Biden’s description of the Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on prescription drug costs for seniors. He inaccurately stated that starting in 2024, seniors would never pay more than $2,000 annually, regardless of total drug costs. In fact, this cap is set to begin in 2025 and is subject to future adjustments based on inflation, which could increase the cap beyond $2,000.

Further, Biden spoke about U.S. competitiveness with China, asserting that China has more retirees than workers, a statement experts have deemed exaggerated and premature. The actual demographic data shows a large workforce still exceeding the number of retirees, contradicting Biden’s claim.

Biden also repeated a point about corporate taxes, stating that his administration had ended the practice of major corporations paying zero federal income taxes. This statement overlooks that the new minimum tax law only affects companies with substantial annual earnings, and several corporations will likely continue to pay no federal income tax due to various qualifying factors.

On billionaires’ tax rates, Biden cited an average federal tax rate of 8.3%, which does not align with current tax laws as it includes unrealized capital gains—profits not realized through a sale. This calculation method diverges from standard practice, which would show billionaires paying a higher effective tax rate.

Another bold statement from Biden included a claim about having visited Iraq and Afghanistan nearly 40 times. This number has been refuted by his own campaign’s previous statements, which documented 21 visits.

One of the more unusual claims involved a personal anecdote about Biden’s uncle, who he suggested had been a victim of cannibalism during World War II. This story sharply contrasts with the official Defense Department records, which document an aircraft crash without any implications of foul play such as cannibalism.

These instances from Biden’s campaign speeches have sparked a broader discussion on the veracity of political rhetoric and the importance of fact-checking in maintaining public trust. As the campaign continues, the scrutiny of Biden’s statements highlights the challenges politicians face in ensuring their rhetoric aligns with verified facts.