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“The Obstructionist Democrats have given us (or not fixed) some of the worst trade deals in World History. I am changing that fast!”

Topic: Trade

Source: Twitter

Full story

It was actually George H.W. Bush, a Republican, who negotiated the NAFTA deal that Trump hates so much.

Former Maricopa County Sherif Joe Arpaio "has done a lot in the fight against illegal immigration. ... Is there anyone in local law enforcement who has done more to crack down on illegal immigration than Sheriff Joe? He has protected people from crimes and saved lives.”

Topic: Immigration

Source: Interview

Full story

Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio became the face of the anti-illegal immigration movement, using controversial policing tactics that targeted Latinos. The Department of Justice found that the Arpaio's sheriff’s office engaged in systemic racial profiling of Latinos.

“People -- these great, incredible veterans, our finest -- they're waiting in line for 7 days, 9 days, 14 days for ailments that could be fixed quickly and they end up dying of things that could be taken care of very, very routinely. And I said that's never going to happen when I'm president.”
Repeated 2 times
Sep 22, 2017Jul 25

Topic: Health care

Source: Remarks

Wait-time issues persist at the VA. During his May 31 "State of the VA" speech, VA Secretary David Shulkin said the VA is "still in critical condition and require intensive care," and veterans are waiting more than 60 days for new appointments at about 30 of 168 VA medical centers.

“And I think that's why you see business enthusiasm is the highest it's been in 18 years; why unemployment is the lowest it's been in 18 years; and the unemployment rate just came out. It's the lowest it's been in 18 years.”
Repeated 47 times
Jan 8, 2018Dec 30, 2017Dec 23Dec 14Dec 13Dec 12Dec 10Dec 8Dec 6Nov 29Nov 29Nov 23Nov 23Nov 15Nov 13Nov 10Nov 7Nov 6Nov 5Nov 4Nov 2Oct 21Oct 17Oct 16Oct 13Oct 11Oct 7Oct 6Sep 22Sep 19Sep 8Sep 6Aug 12Aug 10Aug 4Aug 3Jul 6Jun 21Jun 13Jun 11Jun 7Mar 20Mar 18Mar 15Mar 14Mar 13Mar 10

Topic: Jobs

Source: News conference

Trump now uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment rate to say this, which is a flip-flop from his previous claims dismissing the BLS unemployment rate as "nonsense." It is the lowest unemployment rate in 16 years, not 18 years.

“And as far as I'm concerned, I'm very thankful that he let go of a large number of people because now we have a smaller payroll. There's no real reason for them to go back. So, I greatly appreciate the fact that they've been able to cut our payroll for the United States. We'll save a lot of money.”

Topic: Foreign policy

Source: News conference

Full story

Russia is demanding the removal of 755 people from the U.S. embassy staff of 1,200, most of which will be local employees. Any American diplomats will simply take up posts at the State Department. The reduction of staffing will be costly for U.S. diplomacy, as it will limit influence, reduce reporting and add an additional burden on remaining diplomats. The Fact Checker estimated the maximum savings would be $28 million, enough to fund just 23 soldiers in Afghanistan. Trump aides later claimed he was joking.

“We are now an exporter, because of an incredible six months that I had -- an exporter of oil and gas. That's bad for Russia.”
Repeated 2 times
Aug 22, 2017Jul 6

Topic: Environment

Source: News conference

The U.S. has exported more energy than it has imported since 2015. Trump overstates the impact of his energy policy.

“Look, I have -- nobody has better respect for intelligence than Donald Trump.”

Topic: Miscellaneous

Source: News conference

Trump has repeatedly denounced U.S. intelligence findings that Russia interfered in the U.S. elections as fake news. He also disclosed sensitive intelligence to the Russian foreign minister.

“The Trump base is far bigger & stronger than ever before (despite some phony Fake News polling). Look at rallies in Penn, Iowa, Ohio.... and West Virginia. The fact is the Fake News Russian collusion story, record Stock Market, border security, military strength, jobs..... Supreme Court pick, economic enthusiasm, deregulation & so much more have driven the Trump base even closer together. Will never change!”

Topic: Election

Source: Twitter

Trump's approval rating is the worse for any recent new president, and polls increasingly indicate a decline in support among people who voted for him.

“Never in U.S.history has anyone lied or defrauded voters like Senator Richard Blumenthal. He told stories about his Vietnam battles and....conquests, how brave he was, and it was all a lie. He cried like a baby and begged for forgiveness like a child. Now he judges collusion?”

Topic: Miscellaneous

Source: Twitter

Blumenthal did misrepresent his military service, repeatedly conflating his time in the Marine Reserves in Washington, D.C., with those who served overseas in Vietnam, and later apologized. But there is no evidence he ever bragged about conquests or battles or that he cried when his misleading statements became public.

“We announced a historic immigration bill to create a merit-based Green Card system that ends the abuse of our welfare system, stops chain migration, and protects our workers and our economy. As an example, you cannot get welfare for five years when you come into our country. You cannot just come in like in past weeks, years, and decades, you come in immediately and start picking up welfare. For five years, you have to say you will not be asking or using our welfare systems.”
Repeated 4 times
Sep 22, 2017Aug 4Aug 3Aug 2

Topic: Immigration

Source: Prepared speech

Full story

In general, legal permanent residents already can't "come in immediately and start picking up welfare." The five-year ban that Trump suggests already exists, and new immigrants are not eligible for the major federal public assistance programs during those years. There are some exceptions, such as refugees and asylees, or people with military connections.

“Economic growth has surged to 2.6 percent nationwide. You have to understand what that means. Nobody thought that number was going to happen.”

Topic: Economy

Source: Prepared speech

The gross domestic product grew 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2016, so 2.6 percent is no great achievement. Trump promised four percent growth when he ran for president.

“Let them [prosecutors] look at the uranium she sold that is now in the hands of very angry Russians.”
Repeated 10 times
Nov 3, 2017Oct 25Aug 3Jul 25Jul 22Jul 19Apr 30Mar 28Mar 27Feb 16

Topic: Russia

Source: Prepared speech

Full story

Trump suggests the State Department under Hillary Clinton had sole approval authority on a uranium rights deal with a company largely owned by Russia’s nuclear energy agency. But the State Department is one of nine agencies in the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States to vet and sign off on all U.S. transactions involving foreign governments. There is no evidence Clinton herself got involved in the deal personally, and it is highly questionable that this deal even rose to the level of the secretary of state. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission also needed to approve, and did approve, the transfer.

“Only the Fake News Media and Trump enemies want me to stop using Social Media (110 million people). Only way for me to get the truth out!”

Topic: Miscellaneous

Source: Twitter

Polls consistently show that even Trump supporters are alarmed by the president's Twitter habits.

“We're doing very well. We have a tremendous base. We have a tremendous group of support.”

Topic: Biographical record

Source: Remarks

Trump's approval ratings {continue to plummet}, reaching as low as 32 percent as of Aug. 8, even among working-class voters who were key to his victory.

“If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!”

Topic: Health care

Source: Twitter

Full story

President Trump is misusing the term “bailout.” Insurance companies don’t make money through cost-sharing — they are being paid back for money they’ve already spent on behalf of people who purchased their health plans. Members of Congress also did not get "bailouts" when they were moved onto the Obamacare exchanges. The president either doesn’t understand the process or is being purposely misleading.

“In fact, last night -- you don't read about this too much, but it was approved -- $1.6 billion for the phase one of the wall, which is not only design but the start of construction over a period of about two years, but the start of construction for a great border wall. And we're going to build it.”

Topic: Immigration

Source: Remarks

The House Appropriations Committee included $1.6 billion for border wall construction, but it has not yet been approved. Moreover, Trump's key campaign promise was that he would build a wall and make Mexico pay for it -- but this funding, if approved, would come out of U.S. taxpayer funds.

“The previous administration enacted an open-door policy to illegal migrants from Central America. 'Welcome in. Come in, please, please.' As a result, MS-13 surged into the country and scoured, and just absolutely destroyed, so much in front of it. New arrivals came in and they were all made recruits of each other, and they fought with each other, and then they fought outside of each other. And it got worse and worse, and we've turned that back..”

Topic: Immigration

Source: Remarks

Full story

Obama deported more people than Trump's rate of deportations so far. {From PolitiFact}: "Michelle Mittelstadt of the Migration Policy Institute said Obama confronted a surge in migration from Central America, particularly from the Northern Triangle, fueled by instability, gang violence and worsening economic conditions. She noted the Obama administration faced legal constraints -- both from a congressional statutes and court rulings -- that impeded its ability to remove an influx of illegal entrants with children, or unaccompanied minors, many of whom were fleeing Central America."

“Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!”

Topic: Russia

Source: Twitter

Full story

Trump {conflates a number of issues here} in his continuing effort to force his attorney general from office because of his anger that Sessions followed Justice Department guidance and recused himself from the Russia probe.

“Lebanon is on the front lines in the fight against ISIS, al-Qaeda and Hezbollah.”

Topic: Foreign policy

Source: News conference

Trump made this comment at a joint news conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. But Hariri is only in power because of a deal he struck with Michel Aoun, Hezbollah’s main Christian ally, to make Aoun president. Hezbollah, the militant group, dominates the Lebanese cabinet and is more powerful than the official Lebanese army, recently launching an operation against a militant group in the eastern town of Arsal. So it’s a bit odd for Trump to suggest the Lebanese government is fighting Hezbollah.

“We’ve achieved an historic increase in defense spending.”
Repeated 14 times
Nov 7, 2017Nov 7Nov 5Oct 17Aug 22Jul 25Jul 12Jun 21May 27May 21May 17Mar 15Mar 2Feb 28

Topic: Foreign policy

Source: Remarks

Trump’s proposed defense increase is relatively modest — and not yet been approved by Congress.

“We want millions of Americans lifted from welfare to work and from dependence to independence.”

Topic: Jobs

Source: Remarks

“Welfare” is a broad term and can apply to people who are working but receiving government assistance. If someone is receiving means-tested assistance, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are not working. In fact, eligibility for benefits often is contingent on searching for a job — in other words, working toward the “independence” that Trump mentions.

“One of the reasons you see optimism is because people can actually use their land. They can farm their land.”
Repeated 7 times
Jan 8, 2018Nov 29, 2017Jul 25Jul 19Jul 12Jun 21Feb 28

Topic: Environment

Source: Interview

Full story

Trump likes to say that the Obama-era Clean Water Act rule, also called Waters of the United States, prohibited farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers and homebuilders from doing work on their land. But this claim is nonsensical because the rule never went into effect, and it got blocked by the courts.

“I got a call from the head of the Boy Scouts saying it was the greatest speech that was ever made to them, and they were very thankful.”

Topic: Biographical record

Source: Interview

The Boy Scouts said no such call was made by any senior official. The White House later admitted there had been no call.

“I was with President Xi, who I have a very good relationship with, I said: Do me a favor. Would you allow cattle, please, to come in? I was last night in West Virginia, and I had farmers coming up to me and hugging me and kissing me because of the cattle stuff.”
Repeated 2 times
Jul 17, 2017May 12

Topic: Economy

Source: Interview

China had already agreed to allow the sale of U.S. beef under a deal brokered by the Obama administration. The only thing new was that a definite date was set for when sales would begin.

“When George Steinbrenner died, like with the estate taxes, the estate paid nothing. And if he would have died like two weeks later, they would have paid 50 percent of the Yankees.”

Topic: Taxes

Source: Interview

Steinbrenner died in 2010, when the estate tax was briefly repealed (but heavy capital gains taxes kicked in). But in 2011, as much as the first $10 million of an estate was exempt from taxation, and then a 35 percent rate was applied. So Trump is wrong to say the estate would have had to pay a 50 percent tax.