USA State of the Union: Fact-checking (Pinokkio) President Trump’s 2020 State of the Union address - by Glenn Kessler, Salvador Rizzo and Sarah Cahlan

President Trump’s State of the Union speech once again was chock-full of stretched facts and dubious figures. Many of these claims have been fact-checked repeatedly, yet the president persists in using them. Here, in the order in which he made them, are 31 statements by the president.

The president can certainly brag about the state of the economy, but he runs into trouble when he repeatedly makes a play for the history books.

Our database of Trump claims shows he has made a variation of this claim some 260 times. There are several metrics one could look at, but the current economy falls short, according to experts we consulted. The unemployment rate reached a low of 3.5 percent under Trump, but it was as low as 2.5 percent in 1953. Trump has never achieved an annual growth rate above 3 percent, but in 1997, 1998 and 1999, the gross domestic product grew 4.5 percent, 4.5 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively. But even that period paled against the 1950s and 1960s. Growth between 1962 and 1966 ranged from 4.4 percent to 6.6 percent. In 1950 and 1951, it was 8.7 percent and 8 percent, respectively.

Read more at: Fact-checking President Trump’s 2020 State of the Union address - The Washington Post

USA: State of the Union 2020: Trump addresses the nation - propaganda on steroids

This speech will be remembered for the bitter partisanship underlying it. From the snubbed handshake of Pelosi by Trump, to the awarding of the presidential Medal of Freedom to a man who has professionally insulted people, especially women, for decades; to the instantly viral clip of Pelosi ripping up Trump’s partisanship underlying it. Trump’s speech, we learned more tonight about the state of America’s disunion than anything else.

Read more: State of the Union 2020 live updates: Trump addresses the nation

USA: The State of The Union Address: It will include all of Trump’s familiar flaws: Overselling and in the end underperforming -

Second-Hand Car Salesman in  Chief

When everything is “the greatest,” “fantastic,” “never been done before” and “the best,” modest results look like a flop. And that’s the downfall of a used-car salesman who cannot leave town before his customers realize they bought a lemon, not a Lamborghini.

When President Trump in his pre-White House days sold chewy, overpriced steak, mediocre vodka in pretty bottles or unmemorable chocolate at high prices, customers just didn’t come back for more (and the businesses failed).

When his much-hyped casinos bombed, they declared bankruptcy, and he walked away. As president, however, he has to (or does he?) stick around for four years and be judged on results. And that’s a problem for a president who promised the most fabulous health care, tremendous trade deals and so much winning that you’d get “tired” of winning.

Trump and his advisers have suggested we could get to 4, 5 (do I hear 6?) percent growth. No semi-respectable economist buys that. And in truth, as fiscally irresponsible as the tax bill may be, it is unlikely to provide enough of an economic jolt to change the trajectory of the economy over the long haul.

We continue to have modest growth. Trump has not and is not likely to pursue policies that would address the underlying causes of sluggish growth (stagnant productivity) or pursue pro-growth policies in a systematic way (e.g. increase immigration, expand free-trade zones, make substantial investments in worker training and education). In other words, we’ve been promised champagne but should get ready for flat ginger ale.

So dear US voters, when Trump addresses the Nation on Tuesday night, please don't let him fool you. Just about all what he will be saying you can safely take with a grain of salt.

EU-Digest

Russia : Putin to deliver state of the nation address to Federal Assembly on December 12

Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver his state-of-the-nation address to the Federal Assembly in the Kremlin on December 12, the press service of the head of state reported on Wednesday.

On November 30, Putin confirmed at a meeting with the parliament faction leaders the plans to deliver the address in mid-December. "The presidential administration and I are actively working at the finalized version of the address of this year," he said.

The head of state recalled that "the year 2012 was a year of presidential election; much has been expounded in my election articles and decrees of May 7." "However, an address is an address and it should be," the president noted.

Read more: ITAR-TASS : Putin to deliver state of the nation address to Federal Assembly on December 12