White House touts North Carolina gains ahead of Trump rally, but jobs figures are forecasts

The White House has credited President Donald Trump with falling crime, tax relief and a surge of investment in North Carolina ahead of a planned campaign rally in Greenville on Tuesday. Its case for results combines reported declines and new tax rules with jobs forecast from investment projects, rather than jobs already counted. [1] [7]

Under the heading “No Tax on Social Security”, the White House says about 1.9 million older North Carolinians benefit from a new deduction. The Internal Revenue Service says eligible people aged 65 or over can deduct up to $6,000, with the amount phased out at higher incomes. Social Security benefits can still be taxable depending on a recipient’s other income: the measure is not a blanket exemption. [1] [4] [5]

The release also cites larger tax refunds, including an average of $3,542 in North Carolina. The IRS says tax changes that took effect from the start of 2025 could affect refunds where taxpayers had not adjusted the tax withheld from their pay. The size of a refund alone does not show how much someone’s total tax bill changed. [1] [6]

On public safety, the White House says murders in the state fell 12.4% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. It also cites an 18% fall in homicides in 2025 compared with 2024. Those comparisons do not, by themselves, establish what caused either decline. [1]

The release repeats an announcement of $858 million in additional Hurricane Helene recovery aid. Vice-President JD Vance had linked that figure to rebuilding eight transport corridors at a rally on Monday, while the Department of Transportation announced $873 million for North Carolina following Helene on the same day. The announcements do not explain the $15 million difference or establish how much has been paid out.