AP FACT CHECK: Trump exaggerations on blacks' economic gains

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is exaggerating economic gains for African Americans during his administration.

He claims full credit for achieving the best economic figures for blacks across the board. That's not accurate. Black unemployment did reach a low last year, but much of the progress came during the Obama administration. Household median income also was higher for blacks prior to Trump taking office.

Trump also asserts that Friday's unemployment report was a triumph in “equality,” making it a “great day" for George Floyd, whose death has spurred protests against racial inequality. But black unemployment actually increased, while declining for whites.

The statements came in a week of alternate realities put forth by Trump and his team.

Taking measure of the nation's capital following demonstrations involving injured police, gagging protesters and shattered storefronts, Trump exclaimed: “Washington, D.C., was the safest place on earth last night!”

He and aides denied that authorities in Washington used tear gas against protesters, who fled from chemical clouds that looked like tear gas, stung eyes like it and met the dictionary definition of it.

And when “Mad Dog Mattis” snapped at him, Trump falsely claimed to have fired him as defense secretary and to have given him that nickname.

A look at some of his claims:

BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT

TRUMP: “What we’re announcing today is a tremendous tribute to equality. We’re bringing our jobs back.” — remarks Friday to reporters.

THE FACTS: The joblessness figures in Friday's report did not improve uniformly across racial and ethnic groups.

The unemployment rate did decline last month for white workers, to 12.4% from 14.2% in April, as well as for Latinos, to 17.6% from 18.9%.

But...