President Trump’s November 10, 2025 interview with Laura Ingraham contained a mixture of false claims, accurate statements, and assertions requiring substantial context. The interview demonstrated a pattern common in Trump’s public statements: mixing accurate observations about economic trends with significantly false claims about policy proposals and immigration statistics. The most serious inaccuracies involved mischaracterizing Democratic spending priorities and perpetuating the debunked narrative about countries emptying prisons to send criminals to America.
For a summary of the interview, see Trump Discusses Government Shutdown, China Policy, and Controversial Positions in Fox News Interview.
Assistance from Claude AI.
Executive Summary
President Donald Trump’s November 10, 2025 interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News contained numerous factual claims about government spending, immigration, energy production, and economic policy. A comprehensive fact-check of his major assertions reveals significant inaccuracies, particularly regarding Democratic budget proposals and immigration statistics. Trump’s claim that Democrats wanted “$1.5 trillion for healthcare for illegal aliens” is false—the $1.5 trillion represented the entire ten-year cost of the Democratic spending proposal, not healthcare for undocumented immigrants specifically. His figure of “11,888 exactly, murderers” appears to be an incorrect reference to Immigration and Customs Enforcement data showing 13,099 convicted murderers on the non-detained docket—a statistic that itself requires substantial context about decades-long accumulation across multiple administrations. Trump’s assertion that Venezuela “emptied their prisons” to send criminals to the United States has been repeatedly debunked by fact-checkers and Venezuelan crime experts. On economic claims, Trump’s gas price figures were partially accurate but misleading, his oil production record claim was essentially true though imprecisely stated, and his assertion about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell leaving in “a few months” was technically correct. This fact-check provides detailed analysis of each major claim with supporting evidence from government data, independent fact-checkers, and expert sources.
The $1.5 Trillion Healthcare Claim: False
What Trump Said
Trump claimed in the interview that Democrats “really wanted was one and a half trillion dollars for people that came in illegally” and specifically “wanted one and a half trillion for healthcare from people that were, uh, in some cases, 11,888 exactly, murderers.”
The Reality
This claim is false. The $1.5 trillion figure represents the total estimated cost over ten years of the entire Democratic spending proposal, not spending on healthcare for undocumented immigrants specifically.
According to FactCheck.org, which published an analysis as recently as November 10, 2025 (the same day as the interview), the White House had previously released a memo claiming the Democratic proposal “would result in nearly $200 billion spent on healthcare for illegal immigrants and other non-citizens over the next decade”—already a significant reduction from Trump’s $1.5 trillion claim. But even that $200 billion figure is misleading, as it includes “lawfully present” immigrants, not just undocumented individuals.
Multiple fact-checking organizations reached the same conclusion. Snopes reported that “Democrats are trying to extend tax credits that make some health insurance premiums more affordable, but immigrants in the country illegally are not eligible for these programs.” NPR interviewed independent experts who confirmed the Republican claim is false, with Jonathan Gruber, chairman of the Economics Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, stating clearly: “People living in the U.S. who are undocumented do not qualify for Medicaid. They do not qualify for tax credits on the [ACA health care] exchanges.”
What Democrats Actually Proposed
The Democratic proposal during shutdown negotiations sought to:
1. Extend enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that were first enacted in 2021 and help millions of Americans afford health insurance.
2. Reverse portions of the Republican “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that restricted healthcare access for “lawfully present” immigrants—people with legal immigration status such as refugees, asylees, those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and others who are in the country with qualified immigration status.
Federal law explicitly prohibits undocumented immigrants from receiving federally funded healthcare coverage through Medicaid, Medicare, or ACA marketplace subsidies. The only exception is emergency medical care, which hospitals are required to provide regardless of immigration status under federal law.
According to KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research organization, less than 1% of Medicaid outlays are spent on emergency care for non-citizens.
The Political Context
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the Republican characterization “an outright lie,” stating: “Federal law prohibits the expenditure of taxpayer dollars on providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants. Nowhere have democrats suggested that we are interested in changing federal law.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer went further, calling the claim “utter bull” and questioning Republican motivations for making it.
The White House and congressional Republicans defended their framing by pointing to provisions affecting “lawfully present” immigrants, using the fact that some immigrants who entered through Biden-era parole programs would regain access to healthcare. However, this represents a significant conflation between “lawfully present” immigrants with qualified status and “illegal aliens” or undocumented immigrants.
As NBC News reported, “U.S. law prohibits federal health care benefits for undocumented immigrants. Democrats want to return benefits for those with lawful presence, like DACA recipients and asylum-seekers.”
Verdict
False. The $1.5 trillion figure represents the entire Democratic spending proposal over ten years, not healthcare spending for undocumented immigrants. Federal law prohibits undocumented immigrants from receiving federally funded healthcare except for emergency care, and Democrats did not propose changing that prohibition.
The “11,888 Murderers” Claim: Incorrect Number, Requires Context
What Trump Said
Trump stated there were “11,888 exactly, murderers” among immigrants who came into the country illegally, “many of whom murdered more than one person.”
The Reality
The specific number Trump cited—11,888—appears to be incorrect. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data released in September 2024 and widely reported at the time, there were 13,099 convicted murderers on ICE’s “non-detained docket,” not 11,888.
However, this statistic requires substantial context that Trump did not provide:
1. Time Frame Spans Decades
These 13,099 individuals entered the United States over many years—potentially decades—across multiple presidential administrations, not just during the Biden administration. NBC News clarified that “many of those migrants crossed into the U.S. under previous administrations” and noted the data “includes people serving U.S. prison sentences” for their crimes.
2. Many Are In State or Local Custody
A significant portion of these convicted murderers are currently serving prison sentences in state and local facilities. They are on ICE’s “non-detained docket” because ICE does not have them in federal immigration custody, but that doesn’t mean they’re freely “roaming” American streets, as some political rhetoric suggests.
3. The “Non-Detained Docket” Explained
ICE’s non-detained docket includes immigrants who were encountered by border officials but are not currently in ICE custody. This includes people who were released with a court date, those ordered deported who remain in the U.S., and those in state or local prisons. The docket represents people ICE is tracking but not physically detaining.
4. Current Enforcement Reality
According to internal ICE records obtained by CNN in June 2025, less than 10% of people booked into ICE custody in fiscal year 2025 were convicted of serious crimes like murder, assault, robbery, or rape. More than 75% had no criminal conviction other than immigration or traffic-related offenses.
CNN noted that “the administration’s focus on alleged immigrant criminals has sharpened” but that advocates on the ground report “huge amounts of people with no prior contact with the criminal or immigration system picked up” in recent operations.
The Broader Numbers
The full ICE data from September 2024 showed:
– 13,099 convicted murderers on the non-detained docket
– 1,845 with pending homicide charges
– 15,811 with sex crime convictions
– 4,250 with pending sexual assault charges
– Over 425,000 total with criminal convictions but not in federal custody
– Another 222,000 with pending criminal charges
These figures became a major political talking point in fall 2024, with various Republican officials citing them as evidence of a border crisis. However, immigration and legal experts emphasized these numbers accumulated over many years and multiple administrations.
Verdict
The specific number is wrong (should be 13,099, not 11,888), and the statistic lacks critical context. While there are indeed thousands of convicted murderers on ICE’s non-detained docket, many entered over decades across multiple administrations, many are serving prison sentences, and the figure does not represent people who all “poured into our country” recently as Trump’s framing suggests.
Venezuela “Emptying Prisons”: False
What Trump Said
Trump claimed “we had like Venezuela, they emptied, they dumped their prisons” into the United States.
The Reality
This claim is false and has been repeatedly debunked by multiple fact-checking organizations and Venezuelan crime experts.
PolitiFact investigated this claim extensively in April 2024, interviewing Venezuelan criminologists and reviewing prison population data. Their conclusion: “There is no evidence that countries are emptying their prisons or mental institutions to send people to the U.S.”
The fact-check found that Venezuela’s reported crime decline stems from entirely different factors:
– Venezuela’s poor economy reducing criminal opportunities
– Mass migration meaning fewer people for criminals to victimize
– Government extrajudicial killings of suspected criminals
– General population decline due to economic collapse
Ronna Rísquez, a Venezuelan investigative journalist who published a book about the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, told fact-checkers she has “not seen evidence that the gang responds to or is run by the Venezuelan government or that it has sent Tren de Aragua members to the U.S.”
Luis Izquiel, a criminology professor at Universidad Central de Venezuela, told PolitiFact in Spanish: “There is no evidence that [Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s] government is freeing prisons or sending prisoners to the United States.”
Mike LaSusa of InSight Crime, an organization that tracks organized crime in Latin America, confirmed that Venezuela’s government “has no known policy of selecting particular migrants to send them to any specific country, including the United States.”
Prison Population Data
The Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones, an independent nonprofit that tracks Venezuela’s prison population, has not reported prisons emptying out. Their 2022 report documented more than 33,000 people imprisoned in Venezuela despite capacity for only around 20,000—indicating Venezuelan prisons remain overcrowded, not emptied.
Origins of the Rumor
According to an extensive investigation by Caracas Chronicles published in August 2025, the rumor about Venezuela emptying prisons began circulating on social media in 2022 and was amplified through conservative news sources citing anonymous sources. The investigation found that The Marshall Project analyzed hundreds of Trump statements and found he repeated accusations that various governments were “emptying their prisons” at least 560 times over a ten-year span.
A declassified 2025 memorandum by the National Intelligence Council confirmed there was no evidence the Venezuelan government led Tren de Aragua or that sending criminals to the United States was part of Venezuelan state policy.
Similar Claims About Other Countries
CNN reported in March 2024 that Congolese government officials denounced Trump’s similar claims about the Democratic Republic of Congo as false. The pattern of Trump claiming various countries are emptying prisons has extended to multiple nations without supporting evidence.
The FBI Did Not Confirm This
Social media posts claimed “FBI Now Admitting That Venezuela Emptied Their Prisons,” but PolitiFact found this was false. “News reports and the FBI’s press release archives did not show the FBI ‘admitted’ that Venezuela transferred all its prisoners to the U.S.”
The only source for government reports about this was a 2022 letter from Republican members of Congress to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting information on an “intelligence report” that Democrats said came from conservative news site Breitbart citing anonymous sources.
Verdict
False. Multiple fact-checking organizations, Venezuelan crime experts, investigative journalists, and independent prison monitoring organizations have found no evidence Venezuela is emptying prisons to send criminals to the United States. Venezuelan criminologists attribute crime declines to economic factors, not prison emptying. Declassified U.S. intelligence found no evidence this is Venezuelan government policy.
Gas Prices: Partially Accurate But Misleading
What Trump Said
Trump made several claims about gasoline prices:
– “Gasoline is gonna be hitting $2 pretty soon or around $2”
– “Gasoline is at $2.70 now”
– It “was at $4.50 under Biden, under Sleepy Joe”
The Reality
These claims are a mix of accurate and inaccurate information:
Current Gas Prices (November 2025)
Trump’s claim that gas is “at $2.70 now” is inaccurate. According to multiple sources tracking gas prices around November 10, 2025:
– AAA reported the national average at $3.05 per gallon on November 4, 2025
– Finder.com reported prices at $3.08 per gallon on November 6, 2025
– The Inspiring Insight reported the national average at $3.04 per gallon in early November
– GasBuddy reported prices fell below $3.00 in late October 2025, with a national average around $2.98
So the actual price was approximately $3.00-$3.08 per gallon nationally, not $2.70. Trump’s figure was off by about 30-40 cents per gallon.
Biden-Era Peak Prices
Trump’s claim about $4.50 under Biden is partially accurate but imprecise. Gas prices did reach extremely high levels in 2022:
– The national average peaked at $4.99 per gallon in the week of June 16, 2022, according to historical data compiled by Finder.com
– This was indeed during the Biden administration
– California paid as much as $6.43 per gallon during that same week
So Trump’s $4.50 figure is in the right ballpark but slightly understates how high prices actually went—they peaked just under $5.00 nationally.
Predictions of $2 Gas
Trump’s prediction that gas will be “hitting $2 pretty soon” appears unlikely based on industry analysis:
– GasBuddy head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan stated “the national average price of gasoline is very unlikely to fall below its 2021 levels anytime in 2025 or 2026 or potentially beyond”
– GasBuddy’s 2025 Fuel Price Outlook projected the national average would be $3.22 per gallon for 2025
– The lowest state average in November 2025 was Oklahoma at around $2.46-$2.58 per gallon—still above $2.00
While some individual gas stations in states like Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado have reported prices dipping to $1.99, these are exceptional cases, not reflective of national trends.
Context on Gas Price Declines
Gas prices have indeed declined significantly from 2022 peaks. Newsweek reported that the White House celebrated gas prices falling below $3 for the first time under Trump in October 2025. However, De Haan noted this was “just as we expected in our 2025 Fuel Outlook” and that “prices have declined seasonally, as they always do, and thanks to OPEC continuing to raise oil production.”
The decline is attributed to:
– Seasonal factors (winter-blend gasoline is cheaper to produce)
– OPEC production increases
– Moderating global demand
– Normal market cycles
The president cannot take full credit for gas price changes, which are primarily driven by global oil markets, OPEC decisions, seasonal refinery patterns, and broader economic conditions.
Verdict
Partially accurate but misleading. Current gas prices were around $3.00-$3.08, not $2.70 as Trump claimed. Biden-era prices did reach very high levels (nearly $5.00, not exactly $4.50). The prediction of $2 gas appears unlikely based on industry analysis. Gas prices have fallen significantly, but this reflects normal seasonal patterns and OPEC decisions rather than solely presidential policy.
Oil Production Records: Mostly True With Timing Issues
What Trump Said
Trump claimed: “We produce more, uh, gasoline, oil and gas in the last month than we ever have before by far.”
The Reality
This claim is essentially true but imprecisely stated regarding timing.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA):
– U.S. crude oil production reached a record high of 13.6 million barrels per day in July 2025
– This was “higher than EIA’s previous production estimate” and “the most in any month on record”
– The EIA raised its forecast and stated production in July was “more than 13.6 million b/d, the most in any month on record”
However, the interview took place on November 10, 2025. The record was set in July 2025—four months earlier, not “the last month.” The EIA noted it “continues to expect crude oil production will decline from its recent peak as oil prices fall.”
Historical Context
The previous annual production record was 12.9 million barrels per day in 2023. For full-year 2024, the EIA forecasted U.S. crude oil production would average 13.2 million barrels per day—breaking the 2023 record. For 2025, the EIA forecasts production will average 13.5 million barrels per day.
So Trump is correct that U.S. oil production has reached record highs, though his timing reference to “the last month” was imprecise.
Natural Gas Production
Trump also mentioned natural gas. According to EIA data, U.S. natural gas production has also increased substantially, though the agency noted that “lower forecast natural gas prices largely reflect the expectation that U.S. natural gas production will be higher than previously forecast.”
The “Drill, Baby, Drill” Policy
Trump attributed production increases to his “drill, baby, drill” approach. However, oil production levels are influenced by multiple factors beyond presidential policy:
– Global oil prices (which have been falling)
– Investment decisions made years in advance
– Technological improvements in extraction
– Existing lease agreements and permits
The EIA noted that production increases have been led by the Permian Basin and Gulf of Mexico projects, many of which were planned and initiated before Trump’s second term.
Production Challenges
An EIA analysis from November 2025 noted that “rapid declines from horizontal wells require more drilling to sustain production.” The agency explained that “between 2010 and 2024, hydrocarbon production from new wells in the Lower 48 states generally offset and exceeded declining production from existing wells.”
This means maintaining production levels requires continuous drilling of new wells to offset the natural decline of existing wells—a structural reality of modern oil production rather than a policy achievement.
Verdict
Mostly true but imprecisely stated. The U.S. did set an all-time record for crude oil production at 13.6 million barrels per day—but this occurred in July 2025, not “the last month” relative to the November interview. Production levels reflect long-term trends, technological advances, and market conditions beyond immediate presidential policy changes.
Strategic Petroleum Reserve Claim: Accurate
What Trump Said
Trump claimed Biden took oil out of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) “in order to try and win an election” and that it’s “supposed to be for war, for national emergency.”
The Reality
This claim is factually accurate. The Biden administration did release significant quantities of oil from the SPR in 2022, and the timing coincided with midterm elections.
In March 2022, President Biden announced the largest-ever release from the SPR—180 million barrels over six months—to address high gasoline prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Additional smaller releases brought the total to over 200 million barrels released during 2022.
Critics, including Trump, characterized this as politically motivated given the timing ahead of the November 2022 midterm elections. The SPR is indeed intended primarily for supply disruptions caused by wars, natural disasters, or other national emergencies, though presidents have discretion in authorizing releases.
Trump’s statement that he plans to refill the SPR is also consistent with stated administration goals, though the logistics and timing of such refilling would depend on market conditions and budget allocations.
Verdict
Accurate. Biden did authorize major releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in 2022, and while the administration cited the Ukraine war and supply disruptions as justification, the timing before midterm elections made it politically controversial.
Jerome Powell’s Term: Technically Accurate
What Trump Said
Trump referred to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as “a lousy fed person who’s gonna be gone in a few months, fortunately.”
The Reality
This statement is technically accurate regarding the timeline, though “a few months” is somewhat imprecise.
Powell’s term as Federal Reserve Chair ends on May 15, 2026. From the interview date of November 10, 2025, that is approximately six months—which could reasonably be described as “a few months,” though some might consider six months more than just “a few.”
Powell was confirmed for his second four-year term as Chair on May 12, 2022, by a Senate vote of 67-24. While his chairmanship ends in May 2026, his term as a Federal Reserve Board governor extends until January 31, 2028. Past Fed chairs have typically stepped down from the Board when their chair term expires, but Powell could legally remain as a governor.
Context on Trump-Powell Relations
Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell despite initially nominating him in 2017. During his second term, Trump has:
– Given Powell the nickname “Mr. Too Late”
– Called him a “FOOL” and “loser”
– Threatened to fire him (though legal experts say presidents cannot easily remove Fed chairs)
– Blamed him for keeping rates too high
According to reporting from Bloomberg and Fox Business in mid-2025, Trump has been considering potential replacements, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent mentioned as a leading contender. However, Trump advisor statements in late 2024 indicated Trump would likely allow Powell to serve out his full term.
Powell has stated he would not resign if Trump asked him to and believes the president lacks legal authority to remove him before his term expires.
Verdict
Technically accurate. Powell’s term as Chair does end in approximately six months (May 2026) from the interview date, which can reasonably be described as “a few months.” However, Trump’s characterization as “lousy” reflects personal opinion rather than fact.
California Wildfire Claims: Partially Verifiable
What Trump Said
Trump made several claims about California Governor Gavin Newsom and wildfire recovery:
– “They lost 25,000 houses”
– “They haven’t issued one building permit yet”
– Newsom is “building a train system from San Francisco to LA that’s got about a 2000 or 3000% cost overrun”
Limited Verification Available
These claims require more extensive fact-checking than time permitted for this analysis. California’s high-speed rail project has indeed experienced massive cost overruns—initial estimates were around $33 billion, while current projections have exceeded $100 billion—though exact percentage calculations depend on which baseline is used.
Regarding wildfire destruction and building permits, California did experience devastating wildfires in recent years, particularly the Palisades Fire and others in 2024-2025. However, verification of the specific “25,000 houses” figure and “haven’t issued one building permit” claim would require detailed research into specific fire events and local permitting data.
Verdict
Requires further verification. California’s high-speed rail has experienced major cost overruns (true), but specific wildfire recovery statistics need additional fact-checking beyond the scope of this analysis.
SNAP Benefits Explosion: Needs Context
What Trump Said
Trump claimed SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits “has gone from like $7 billion to many times $7 billion” and that “people are getting, they walk in and they get it automatically now.”
Requires Further Analysis
SNAP spending has indeed increased significantly in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. However, verifying the specific “$7 billion” baseline and current multiples would require detailed analysis of federal budget data across multiple fiscal years.
The program did expand during COVID-19 with emergency allotments, and some of those expansions persisted longer than originally intended. Whether enrollment has become “automatic” as Trump claims would require examination of eligibility determination processes, which vary by state.
Verdict
Requires further verification. SNAP spending has increased substantially, but specific figures and claims about enrollment processes need detailed fact-checking beyond this analysis.
Overall Assessment
President Trump’s November 10, 2025 interview with Laura Ingraham contained a mixture of false claims, accurate statements, and assertions requiring substantial context:
Clearly False:
– The $1.5 trillion for healthcare for “illegal aliens” (actual Democratic proposal was for entire spending package, and federal law prohibits undocumented immigrants from receiving such benefits)
– Venezuela emptying prisons to send criminals to the U.S. (no evidence, repeatedly debunked)
Inaccurate Numbers:
– “11,888 murderers” (should be 13,099, and requires context about decades-long accumulation)
– Gas at “$2.70 now” (actually around $3.04-$3.08)
Accurate or Mostly Accurate:
– U.S. oil production reaching record levels (true, though timing imprecise)
– Biden using Strategic Petroleum Reserve before midterms (accurate)
– Powell leaving in “a few months” (technically accurate—May 2026)
– Gas reached very high levels under Biden (peaked near $5.00 in 2022)
Requires Further Context:
– California high-speed rail cost overruns (true but needs specific figures)
– SNAP benefits explosion (likely true but needs verification)
– Wildfire recovery and building permits (needs verification)
The interview demonstrated a pattern common in Trump’s public statements: mixing accurate observations about economic trends with significantly false claims about policy proposals and immigration statistics. The most serious inaccuracies involved mischaracterizing Democratic spending priorities and perpetuating the debunked narrative about countries emptying prisons to send criminals to America.
Sources
FactCheck.org. “Trump Falsely Claims Democrats Want $1.5 Trillion for ‘Illegal Aliens.’” 10 Nov. 2025.
Newsweek. “Fact check: Are Democrats shutting down government over healthcare for illegal immigrants?” 1 Oct. 2025.
NPR. “The shutdown isn’t over health care for undocumented immigrants, experts say.” 3 Oct. 2025.
Snopes. “Democrats didn’t shut down government to fund health care for ‘illegal aliens.’ Here’s context.” 7 Oct. 2025.
NBC News. “GOP misleads with claim Democrats shut down government to give ‘illegal immigrants’ health care.” 2 Oct. 2025.
San.com. “ICE confirms hundreds of thousands of migrant criminal convictions.” 27 Sept. 2024.
NBC News. “More than 13,000 immigrants convicted of homicide are living outside immigration detention in the U.S., ICE says.” 29 Sept. 2024.
CNN. “Less than 10% of immigrants taken into ICE custody in recent months had serious criminal convictions, internal data shows.” 16 June 2025.
PolitiFact. “Trump exaggerates Venezuelan crime drop and misleads on root causes.” 10 April 2024.
FactCheck.org. “Crime Drop in Venezuela Does Not Prove Trump’s Claim the Country Is Sending Criminals to U.S.” 21 June 2024.
Caracas Chronicles. “How the ‘Maduro Emptied His Prisons to Invade the U.S.’ Rumor Reached the White House.” 9 Aug. 2025.
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GasBuddy. “GasBuddy Reveals 2025 USA Gasoline Price Forecast.” 31 Dec. 2024.
Newsweek. “Gas Prices Fall Below $3 for First Time Under Trump.” Oct. 2025.
U.S. Energy Information Administration. “EIA adjusts forecast for U.S. oil production as producers set a record in July 2025.” 7 Oct. 2025.
U.S. Energy Information Administration. “U.S. crude oil production established a new record in August 2024.” 13 Nov. 2024.
Federal Reserve. “Jerome H. Powell sworn in for second term as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.” 23 May 2022.
Wikipedia. “Jerome Powell.” Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Funds Society. “The Long Road of the Fed and Jerome Powell Until the End of His Term in May 2026.” 30 April 2025.