Trump’s Ankara claims are debunked, as his NATO summit press conference produced several preposterous statements. Most of these claims were first made the previous day during a meeting with Turkish President Erdoğan. They covered a wide range of topics, including the US economy and manufacturing. They also covered the 2020 presidential election, immigration policies, Venezuela, and oil prices.
US Investment Claims
During the meeting, Trump asserted that Washington had attracted $19.2 trillion in investment during the first year of his current administration.
However, there is no publicly available evidence or government data supporting this figure. The White House has reported on its official website a much lower total of $10.6 trillion in major investment announcements. Even this figure has been questioned by independent analyses, which argue that it does not represent confirmed investments. Instead, it includes broad economic agreements, trade partnerships, non-binding announcements, future investment plans, and other forms of economic cooperation. Newly released federal data also show that new foreign direct investment in the United States totaled about $232 billion in 2025—far below Trump’s claim.
2020 Election Claims
Still refusing to acknowledge his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Trump claimed that he had actually won the race. The 80-year-old president also declared that he has “been right about everything.”
Official election results, however, tell a very different story. They show that Joe Biden defeated Trump in both the Electoral College and the popular vote. Numerous recounts, audits, court rulings, and election reviews found no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the outcome—a claim Trump has repeated countless times since then.
Venezuela and Prison Release Claims
Speaking about immigration, the US president once again claimed that former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro emptied the country’s prisons. And allowed criminals to travel to the United States.
The available evidence does not support this assertion.
Although Venezuela has experienced a large-scale migration crisis driven by economic collapse, political instability, and violence. There is no credible evidence that the government systematically released prisoners. In order to send them to the United States.
Researchers specializing in Venezuela’s crime and prison systems have consistently rejected Trump’s claim.
In a June 2024 email to CNN. Roberto Briceño-León, founder and director of the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence. Said his organization had found no indication that the Venezuelan government was releasing prisoners or patients from mental health institutions. And sending them to the United States or any other country.
Similarly, Helen Fair, a global prisons expert at Birkbeck, University of London. Told CNN in 2024 that she had found “absolutely no evidence” that any country had emptied its prisons. To send inmates to the United States.
Immigration Claims
Trump also claimed that more than 25 million migrants entered the United States. He said they arrived during Biden’s administration and remain in the country. Trump Ankara claims debunked, as federal immigration records do not support this claim either. Through the final month of Biden’s presidency, fewer than 11 million migrant encounters had been recorded nationwide. That figure includes repeat crossings by the same individuals. It also includes millions of migrants who were quickly removed or expelled from the country. Trump’s figure of 25 million is so far above available estimates. Even after accounting for migrants who crossed without being detected, the total remains well below his claim
Oil Prices and the Iran Conflict Claims
Regarding Iran, Trump claimed oil prices were lower than “when it started.” The statement, however, is ambiguous because he did not clarify what he meant by “when it started.” If he referred to the pre‑conflict period, which began in late February. Trump Ankara claims debunked, as market data do not support his assertion on oil. Both Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate currently trade at higher prices. They are higher than they were before the conflict with Iran began. Although prices fell after a ceasefire earlier in the year, they rose again following renewed military exchanges last week. While oil prices remain below the spring peaks, they are still higher than before the Iran conflict began.