(CNN) Arguing in favor of his tariffs, President Donald Trump claimed on Twitter Sunday that the US had "no debt" and "a big system of tariffs" when it built "everything from Highways to the Military with CASH."

"When our Country had no debt and built everything from Highways to the Military with CASH, we had a big system of Tariffs. Now we allow other countries to steal our wealth, treasure, and jobs - But no more! The USA is doing great, with unlimited upside into the future!"

His history lesson is largely incorrect.

Facts First: The US has almost never had "no debt." It was not even close to debt-free when it created the Interstate Highway System, and the national debt spiked when the military was built up during major wars. Trump was correct that the Interstate was not financed with debt, but he did not mention where the money came from: dedicated taxes.

Let's go through Trump's tweet step by step.