HOUSTON — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump met on the presidential debate stage for the first time in 2024 on Thursday, June 27.
Under rules from CNN, which hosted the debate, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not qualify.
The broadcast was historic in several ways, marking the earliest general election debate in history and the first time since 1960 that a presidential debate was held without a live audience.
The KHOU 11 VERIFY Team fact-checked these claims made by Biden and Trump during Thursday night’s debate.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S CLAIM:
Biden claimed that when he took office, the economy was "flat on its back" at 15% unemployment.
THE SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
WHAT WE FOUND:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment was at 6% in January 2021. Unemployment did peak at 14.8% in April 2020, but that was before Biden became president.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S CLAIM:
Biden claims Trump was voted the "worst president in history" by 159 presidential scholars.
THE SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
WHAT WE FOUND:
A 2024 "Presidential Greatness" study by University of Houston Professor Brandon Rottinghaus and Coastal Carolina University Professor Justin Vaughn surveyed 154 experts in politics. Trump had the lowest score, with 10.92 on a 0-100 scale.
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S CLAIM:
Trump claims the U.S. has a border that's considered the "most dangerous place in the world."
THE SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
WHAT WE FOUND:
According to the International Organization for Migration, a 2023 United Nations report called the border the most dangerous border -- for migrants. It said that in 2022, 686 people died or disappeared along the U.S.-Mexico border, but UN officials said that number could be even higher due to "missing official data."
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S CLAIM:
Trump claims Biden created jobs only for illegal immigrants.
THE SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
WHAT WE FOUND:
According to the White House, since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, private companies announced over $825 billion in manufacturing and clean energy investments. That was on top of the $478 billion announced for clean energy and infrastructure projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
The White House said these investments were projected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs, many of which don't require a college degree.
The Biden-Harris Administration said they are committed to ensuring that all workers, including women, people of color, veterans, and those that have been "historically left behind" have equal access to jobs and the training and skills needed to fill them.