MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) host Jen Psaki conducted a rapid fact-check following President Donald Trump’s nearly 20-minute address to the nation on December 17, 2025. She described the speech as lacking in factual accuracy and criticized Trump’s approach of loudly proclaiming his claimed accomplishments.
During the address, Trump announced a $1,776 holiday bonus for military personnel, calling it a “warrior dividend.” Psaki immediately contested this assertion by pointing out that Congress, not the president, holds the power of the purse. She noted that if such a bonus occurs, it would be Congress disbursing the funds.
Reports from several news outlets, including The Washington Post, verified that the $2.6 billion for the warrior dividend payments originates from Congressionally-allocated military housing allowances, not from tariff revenues as stated by Trump. Defense One reported that these payments are a ‘one-time basic allowance for housing supplement’ for eligible service members, funded by the $2.9 billion housing assistance appropriation in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July 2025.
Psaki highlighted the significance of the $1,776 figure, referencing an analysis by the Yale Budget Lab that found Trump’s tariffs have cost American households an average of $1,700. The number 1776, symbolizing the year of the Declaration of Independence, seemed intended to invoke patriotic feelings while diverting attention from the economic impact on families.
Psaki also scrutinized Trump’s statements about inflation, noting that Trump claimed he inherited the worst inflation in 48 years. Psaki countered that inflation had been decreasing from a peak of 9.1 percent in June 2022 under the Biden administration. When Trump took office in January, inflation was at 3 percent and remained there until September 2025. The latest Consumer Price Index data reported on December 18 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows inflation decreased to 2.7 percent for the 12 months ending November 2025.
She reminded viewers of Trump’s campaign promise to end inflation on his first day in office, which has not been realized. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently mentioned that inflation remains elevated, casting doubt on Trump’s claims of economic success.
Food prices were another topic of Psaki’s fact-check. She referenced a report from the Trump administration’s Department of Agriculture confirming that food prices are increasing faster than inflation. The USDA reported that food prices in August 2025 were 3.2 percent higher than in the previous year, contradicting the administration’s narrative of economic improvement.
A notable discrepancy involved Trump’s statements on gasoline prices, where he claimed a reduction to $1.99 per gallon. AAA data indicates the national average is $2.91 per gallon, highlighting a significant difference between the president’s claim and the figures from the automotive organization.
Fact-checkers noted that a few individual gas stations—estimated between 75 and 100 out of about 150,000 nationwide—were selling gas at $1.99 or less. CNN’s review of AAA and GasBuddy data showed that no state had an average price that low, with Oklahoma registering the lowest state average at $2.34 per gallon.
The Wednesday night address marked an unusual shift from standard presidential communications. Psaki characterized the event as resembling a fast-paced infomercial rather than a traditional presidential address, which made immediate fact-checking challenging.
The fact-check segment on MS NOW showcased the growing gap between the administration’s messaging and independently verified economic data. Trump highlighted achievements across various policy areas, but actual data from government agencies and independent sources presented a more nuanced picture of the nation’s economic state.
The difference between Trump’s rapid delivery and the substance of his claims raised questions about the intentions behind the speech’s format. By speaking quickly, the president may have aimed to inundate viewers with information, making it challenging for audiences to process or scrutinize individual claims promptly.
Psaki’s prompt response highlighted the role of media fact-checkers in modern political discourse. As presidential communications increasingly avoid traditional press conferences and interviews, journalists have adapted by providing swift analysis of prepared speeches.
The Wednesday night address and its subsequent fact-checking underscore the ongoing tension between political messaging and factual data. With inflation at 2.7 percent as of November 2025, national gas prices at $2.91 per gallon, and food prices rising at 3.2 percent annually, the economic landscape remains mixed. These statistics do not fully align with either the crisis Trump claimed to inherit or the complete success story he projected.
This scenario highlights the importance of independent verification in an era of competing narratives about national conditions. As political figures increasingly shape their own realities through controlled media events, the role of fact-checkers and independent analysts becomes crucial in ensuring an informed public can make decisions based on accurate information.
