Truth

The meme/image you shared attributes a quote to actor/comedian **Tim Allen** claiming: "President Trump's wall costs less than the Obamacare website. Let that sink in, America."

This claim is **false** on two main fronts:

1. **The quote is not from Tim Allen.**  

   Multiple fact-checks (from Reuters, USA Today, The Washington Post, PolitiFact, and others) confirm the statement has been falsely attributed to the actor Tim Allen. His publicist has denied he said or wrote it. The phrasing has circulated as a viral meme since around 2019, sometimes misattributed to him (even shared by figures like Eric Trump), but it originated elsewhere in conservative social media circles. No evidence ties it to Allen himself.

2. **The underlying comparison is inaccurate.**  

   Costs for **HealthCare.gov** (the Obamacare/ACA website, launched in 2013) were high due to overruns and fixes after a disastrous rollout. Reliable estimates include:

   - An HHS Office of Inspector General report (2014): ~$1.7 billion total for the website and related systems.

   - Bloomberg (2014): Up to ~$2.1 billion (including broader expenses beyond core development).

   In contrast, **Trump's border wall** (focusing on new/replacement barriers built during his first term and estimates for full plans):

   - Initial DHS internal estimates (2017): Up to $21.6 billion for a full wall.

   - Actual spending identified by 2020–2021: Around $11–15 billion for roughly 400–500 miles constructed/replaced (much of it upgrades to existing fencing, with only ~80 miles in previously unfenced areas).

   - Per-mile costs often ran $20–30 million in tough terrain.

   - Full completion estimates historically ranged $15–25+ billion or higher.

   Even the highest credible figure for HealthCare.gov (~$2.1 billion) is dwarfed by the border wall's costs (billions more, even for partial construction). The wall's total expense far exceeded the website's.

This meme has been debunked repeatedly since 2019 as both misattributed and factually wrong—it's a persistent piece of misinformation. The wall project was significantly more expensive than the troubled (but much smaller-scale) website rollout.

Henry McClure  
785.383.9994
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time kills deals

Invented the internet

**Yes, this incident is real and accurately reported across multiple credible sources.**

During a private, invite-only VIP dinner at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (on or around January 20-21, 2026), hosted by BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick gave a speech that was highly critical of Europe's economic performance, energy policies (pushing back on renewables in favor of coal), and global dynamics under the new Trump administration.

The speech provoked a strong negative reaction from parts of the audience:

- There was widespread jeering and heckling.

- European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde reportedly walked out.

- Former Vice President Al Gore booed Lutnick (described by some accounts as approaching him afterward and saying "Boo" in a mocking way, or booing from the crowd at the end of the speech).

- The event reportedly descended into enough chaos that host Larry Fink called for calm, and in some reports, it was cut short before dessert.

Al Gore directly confirmed his involvement in a statement to Mediaite, saying:  

"I sat and listened to his remarks. I didn't interrupt him in any way. It's no secret that I think this administration's energy policy is insane. And at the end of his speech I reacted with how I felt, and so did several others."

The U.S. Commerce Department (via a spokesperson for Lutnick) downplayed it, stating:  

"During Secretary Lutnick's three-minute speech, no one left hastily. Only one person booed, and it was Al Gore."

This matches the details in the image you shared from the Daily Caller, including Gore's quote to Mediaite. Reports appeared in outlets like:

- Financial Times (original detailed reporting)

- New York Post

- Mediaite

- People.com

- The New Republic

- The Daily Beast

- And others

The core claim—that Al Gore heckled/booed Lutnick at this high-profile private Davos dinner hosted by Larry Fink—is **true**, though accounts differ slightly on the intensity (e.g., solo boo vs. part of broader jeering/walkouts). It's a real clash highlighting tensions over energy policy, trade, and U.S.-Europe relations in the early days of the administration.

Henry McClure  
785.383.9994
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time kills deals