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| US 2020 election: Trump and Biden's debate claims fact-checked | US 2020 election: Trump and Biden's debate claims fact-checked |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden have gone head-to-head in the first of three televised debates before the US election in November. | President Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden have gone head-to-head in the first of three televised debates before the US election in November. |
| During a heated 90 minutes, the nominees clashed over everything from the state of the economy to the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Reality Check has unpicked some of their claims. | During a heated 90 minutes, the nominees clashed over everything from the state of the economy to the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Reality Check has unpicked some of their claims. |
| Trump: "We built the greatest economy in history" | Trump: "We built the greatest economy in history" |
| Verdict: That's not right - there have been times in US history when the economy was stronger. | Verdict: That's not right - there have been times in US history when the economy was stronger. |
| President Trump claimed that, prior to the coronavirus outbreak, "we built the greatest economy in US history". | President Trump claimed that, prior to the coronavirus outbreak, "we built the greatest economy in US history". |
| He claims to have generated historic economic growth, record low unemployment, and lifted millions of Americans out of poverty. | He claims to have generated historic economic growth, record low unemployment, and lifted millions of Americans out of poverty. |
| It's true the economy was doing well before the pandemic - continuing a trend that began during the Obama administration - but there have been periods when it was much stronger. | It's true the economy was doing well before the pandemic - continuing a trend that began during the Obama administration - but there have been periods when it was much stronger. |
| The economy under Trump in six charts | The economy under Trump in six charts |
| Biden: "We have 4% of the world's population, [but] 20% of the deaths" | Biden: "We have 4% of the world's population, [but] 20% of the deaths" |
| Verdict: This is roughly correct. But looking at coronavirus deaths per capita, there are a number of countries which are worse than the US. | Verdict: This is roughly correct. But looking at coronavirus deaths per capita, there are a number of countries which are worse than the US. |
| Mr Biden criticised President Trump's management of the coronavirus response. | Mr Biden criticised President Trump's management of the coronavirus response. |
| "We in fact have 4% of the world's population, 20% of the deaths," the former vice-president said. | "We in fact have 4% of the world's population, 20% of the deaths," the former vice-president said. |
| According to the figures, that's about right. The US population is about 328 million, which is just over 4% of the 7.7 billion global population. | According to the figures, that's about right. The US population is about 328 million, which is just over 4% of the 7.7 billion global population. |
| There have been 205,942 coronavirus deaths recorded in the US, according to the latest John Hopkins University data. The total number of deaths recorded worldwide is 1,004,808. | There have been 205,942 coronavirus deaths recorded in the US, according to the latest John Hopkins University data. The total number of deaths recorded worldwide is 1,004,808. |
| On this metric, the US accounts for about 20% of Covid-19 deaths worldwide, although the way countries record their figures varies considerably. | On this metric, the US accounts for about 20% of Covid-19 deaths worldwide, although the way countries record their figures varies considerably. |
| Here's more fact-checking of President Trump's coronavirus claims. | Here's more fact-checking of President Trump's coronavirus claims. |
| Trump: Postal ballots increase will cause "a fraud like you've never seen" | Trump: Postal ballots increase will cause "a fraud like you've never seen" |
| Verdict: Studies have not found evidence of widespread fraud, although there have been isolated cases. | Verdict: Studies have not found evidence of widespread fraud, although there have been isolated cases. |
| President Trump said an increase in postal ballots was going to cause "a fraud like you've never seen". | |
| Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a large proportion of US voters are expected to use postal voting in this year's election. | Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a large proportion of US voters are expected to use postal voting in this year's election. |
| The president has repeatedly warned that this will lead to widespread fraud. | The president has repeatedly warned that this will lead to widespread fraud. |
| There have been isolated cases of fraud including recent examples in North Carolina and New Jersey. | There have been isolated cases of fraud including recent examples in North Carolina and New Jersey. |
| In September, the US Department of Justice released a statement about an incident in Pennsylvania in which "nine military ballots were discarded" and said seven of them "were cast for presidential candidate Donald Trump". | In September, the US Department of Justice released a statement about an incident in Pennsylvania in which "nine military ballots were discarded" and said seven of them "were cast for presidential candidate Donald Trump". |
| But despite such incidents, numerous studies have not revealed evidence of major, widespread fraud. | But despite such incidents, numerous studies have not revealed evidence of major, widespread fraud. |
| The rate of voting fraud overall in the US is between 0.00004% and 0.0009%, according to a 2017 study by the Brennan Center for Justice. | The rate of voting fraud overall in the US is between 0.00004% and 0.0009%, according to a 2017 study by the Brennan Center for Justice. |
| Biden: "100 million people [in the US] have pre-existing conditions" | Biden: "100 million people [in the US] have pre-existing conditions" |
| Verdict: There is no definitive answer to this. | Verdict: There is no definitive answer to this. |
| The candidates clashed over how many people in the US have pre-existing medical conditions, which can stop some Americans from being covered by private medical insurers. | The candidates clashed over how many people in the US have pre-existing medical conditions, which can stop some Americans from being covered by private medical insurers. |
| Mr Biden said there were 100 million people with pre-existing conditions, but President Trump said that number was "totally wrong". | Mr Biden said there were 100 million people with pre-existing conditions, but President Trump said that number was "totally wrong". |
| So how many are there? There is no definitive answer. | So how many are there? There is no definitive answer. |
| According to the US government's Department of Health and Human Services, between 50 and 129 million non-elderly Americans have some type of pre-existing health condition. | According to the US government's Department of Health and Human Services, between 50 and 129 million non-elderly Americans have some type of pre-existing health condition. |
| Other organisations have different estimates. The Center for American Progress believes it is higher, at 135 million people under age 65. | |
| Biden: "Manufacturing went into a hole" before coronavirus | Biden: "Manufacturing went into a hole" before coronavirus |
| Verdict: That's not right, according to the figures. | Verdict: That's not right, according to the figures. |
| Democratic candidate Joe Biden suggested that even before Covid-19, "manufacturing went into a hole". | Democratic candidate Joe Biden suggested that even before Covid-19, "manufacturing went into a hole". |
| The pandemic did have an impact on this sector. As of August, there were 237,000 fewer manufacturing jobs in the US than when Trump took office in 2017. | The pandemic did have an impact on this sector. As of August, there were 237,000 fewer manufacturing jobs in the US than when Trump took office in 2017. |
| But prior to the pandemic, President Trump had added almost half a million manufacturing jobs during his first three years in office. | But prior to the pandemic, President Trump had added almost half a million manufacturing jobs during his first three years in office. |
| Trump: "We're weeks away from a vaccine" | |
| Verdict: There is a "very, very low chance" of an approved vaccine being ready by the end of October, the chief scientific adviser to the US vaccine programme says. | |
| President Trump said in the debate that the US is only "weeks" from a vaccine. However, Dr Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific adviser to the US vaccine programme, has said there is only a small chance an approved vaccine could be ready by the end of October. | |
| Meanwhile, Dr Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert, has predicted the US will know if it has a safe and effective jab by November or December this year. | |
| He told a Senate committee hearing this month there might be enough doses for every American by April. | |
| Further claims from the candidates will be added to this article shortly | Further claims from the candidates will be added to this article shortly |
| Read more from Reality Check | Read more from Reality Check |
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