If Trump's claim about a surge of jihadist terrorists crossing the southern border were accurate, one would expect to see a significant number of terrorist attacks or increased arrests. However, there have been no reported terrorist attacks in the US in the past three years attributed to jihadists entering from the southern border. The most recent major terrorist attack by a jihadist occurred during Trump’s presidency in 2019, when a Saudi military officer, who entered the US legally, killed three American sailors at a Florida naval base.

If Trump's claim about a surge of jihadist terrorists crossing the southern border were accurate, one would expect to see a significant number of terrorist attacks or increased arrests. However, there have been no reported terrorist attacks in the US in the past three years attributed to jihadists entering from the southern border. The most recent major terrorist attack by a jihadist occurred during Trump’s presidency in 2019, when a Saudi military officer, who entered the US legally, killed three American sailors at a Florida naval base.

In contrast to Trump’s focus on southern border security, data from the past three years highlights a troubling trend of far-right domestic terrorism. According to New America, 22 people were killed by far-right extremists in places like Buffalo, New York, and Allen, Texas. Despite this, Trump has rarely addressed far-right terrorism, instead revisiting themes from his 2016 campaign, such as the notion of terrorists infiltrating the southern border, which intertwines immigration concerns with terrorism fears.

Trump's recent statements also included a claim that there were no acts of "radical Islamic terror" during his presidency. This overlooks incidents such as the 2017 attack in Manhattan by an ISIS-inspired terrorist who used a truck to kill eight people, and the 2019 Pensacola attack. Both occurred while Trump was in office, contradicting his assertion that his administration saw no radical Islamic terrorism.

In contrast to Trump’s focus on southern border security, data from the past three years highlights a troubling trend of far-right domestic terrorism. According to New America, 22 people were killed by far-right extremists in places like Buffalo, New York, and Allen, Texas. Despite this, Trump has rarely addressed far-right terrorism, instead revisiting themes from his 2016 campaign, such as the notion of terrorists infiltrating the southern border, which intertwines immigration concerns with terrorism fears.

Recent statistics from US Customs and Border Protection show 43 encounters with people on the terrorism watchlist at the southern border in 2024, compared to 281 encounters on the US-Canada border. Despite this disparity, Trump has not advocated for enhanced enforcement at the Canadian border. It is important to note that being on the terrorism watchlist does not necessarily indicate active terrorist intent, as the list includes about two million individuals.

Trump's exaggerated claims about terrorism and border security contrast sharply with the available evidence and may continue to be a feature of his campaign rhetoric as the election approaches. If history is any guide, Trump will likely persist in using such claims to frame his political arguments in the lead-up to the election.