White House says real earnings outpaced inflation by nearly $1,400 in the president’s first year back

The statement is not 100% exact but close enough for a reasonable person (e.g., claimed 70% vs. actual 65%). Learn more in Methodology.

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Aggregate real earnings (wage growth adjusted for inflation) for all private‑sector workers over the stated 1‑year presidential period exceed inflation by approximately $1,400 according to official labor/inflation data.

Source summary

The White House said January’s consumer price index surprised on the downside, reporting year‑over‑year inflation of 2.4% and core inflation at its lowest in nearly five years. The administration also highlighted rising real wages — saying real average hourly earnings rose 1.2% (1.5% for middle- and lower-wage workers) and that real earnings outpaced inflation by about $1,400 in President Trump’s first year back in office. The statement credited administration policies, including drug‑pricing reforms and the Great Healthcare Plan, for recent price declines and called for interest‑rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

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Latest fact check

BLS data (Jan 2026) show real average weekly earnings for all private‑sector employees rose 1.9% year‑over‑year, while the CPI‑U rose 2.4% over the same period. Using the BLS reported average weekly earnings ($1,222.14 in Jan 2025), a 1.9% real‑weekly gain equals about $23.22 per week, or roughly $1,208 per year — materially less than the White House's "nearly $1,400" figure. Verdict: Close — the claim is directionally correct (real pay rose and surpassed inflation), but the specific dollar amount ($1,400) is an overstatement relative to the BLS‑based calculation (≈$1,200).

Sources

Timeline

Update · Feb 13, 2026, 10:11 PMClose
BLS data (Jan 2026) show real average weekly earnings for all private‑sector employees rose 1.9% year‑over‑year, while the CPI‑U rose 2.4% over the same period. Using the BLS reported average weekly earnings ($1,222.14 in Jan 2025), a 1.9% real‑weekly gain equals about $23.22 per week, or roughly $1,208 per year — materially less than the White House's "nearly $1,400" figure. Verdict: Close — the claim is directionally correct (real pay rose and surpassed inflation), but the specific dollar amount ($1,400) is an overstatement relative to the BLS‑based calculation (≈$1,200).
- https://www.bls.gov/news.release/realer.nr0.htm
- https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
Original article · Feb 13, 2026
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