He explained at a rally about the phrase that he “hated it,” but when it received a positive response at a rally, continued repeating it like he “meant it.”
The Washington Post – Trump explains why he ‘didn’t like’ the phrase ‘drain the swamp’ but now does
The FBI briefed both the Trump and Clinton campaigns about ongoing Russian attempts at infiltrating and influencing them. They were also told to alert the FBI about any “suspicious overtures.” Trump later claimed that he received no such warning.
A great deal of attention had already been drawn to the connections between the Trump campaign and Russians. More overt examples include Trump’s past business dealings and calling for Russia to hack Clinton’s emails. Several members of his campaign were also convicted of perjury by hiding Russian connections to the FBI, including General Michael Flynn, who Trump named a national security advisor after the election.
NBC News – FBI warned Trump in 2016 Russians would try to infiltrate his campaign
CNN – Trump says he wasn’t warned in 2016 about Russia threats. He was.
Wikipedia – Links between Trump associates and Russian officials
The incident was the culmination of an argument between Trump and Serge Kovaleski over the claim that thousands were seen celebrating in New Jersey during 9/11.
Trump took aim at the disabled Kovaleski, a Pulitzer-prize winning reporter employed by The New York Times at the time.
Now, the poor guy, you’ve got to see this guy: “Uhh, I don’t know what I said. Uhh, I don’t remember,” he’s going like “I don’t remember. Maybe that’s what I said.”
Despite their having met in the past, and Kovaleski having reported on and interviewed Trump multiple times, Trump defended himself by saying he didn’t know of him or his disability.
Very simple. I said this, and all of a sudden, because I said it very very expressively – and again, I’m trying to show someone groveling to take back the statement he made, because he wanted to take it back because it wasn’t good for the people that he knows and likes at the New York Times and Washington Post…
I would never mock a person that has difficulty. I would never do that. I’m telling you, I would never do it. I would never do it. I would never do it. I don’t care if I liked the person or didn’t – and I don’t know this person.
Defenders also noted that when Trump adopts a mocking imitation of someone, they tend to be a similar impression, and so asserted that Trump was not singling out Kovaleski’s disability.
Politifact – Says Hillary Clinton is “wrong” to say he mocked a disabled reporter.
Snopes – Donald Trump Criticized for Mocking Disabled Reporter
The Washington Post – Donald Trump’s revisionist history of mocking a disabled reporter
BBC News – Donald Trump under fire for mocking disabled reporter
Trump made the claim that because Judge Gonzalo Curiel is Mexican-American, he was unfair in his past rulings against Trump University, and had a conflict of interest in his upcoming decision on the legality of the border wall. The Indiana-born judge ultimately ruled in favor of the wall’s legality.
The Wall Street Journal – Trump Says Judge’s Mexican Heritage Presents ‘Absolute Conflict’
The Hill – Mexican-American judge who Trump attacked rules in favor of border wall
Politifact – Donald Trump’s racial comments about Hispanic judge in Trump University case
Trump repeatedly claimed that the 2016 election was rigged, and cast doubt on whether he would accept the results as legitimate. He reiterated this during a debate with Hillary Clinton when asked if he maintained his view on the election.
I will look at it at the time. I’m not looking at anything now; I will look at it at the time. What I’ve seen – what I’ve seen is so bad. First of all, the media is so dishonest and so corrupt, and the pile-on is so amazing. The New York Times actually wrote an article about it, but they don’t even care. It’s so dishonest, and they’ve poisoned the minds of the voters. But unfortunately for them, I think the voters are seeing through it.
…
What I’m saying now is that I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense, OK?
Trump later blamed his loss of the popular vote on mass fraud.
Politico – Trump still won’t commit to accepting election results
Politifact – Donald Trump’s Pants on Fire claim of ‘large scale voter fraud’
In a February 2016 interview on CNN’s State of the Union, Trump avoided condemning or disavowing the endorsement of white supremacist and former KKK grandwizard David Duke, saying he didn’t know who Duke was.
In years prior, Trump had commented on and repeatedly attacked Duke and his platform. In 2000, he cited Duke’s participation in the Reform Party as a reason he no longer wanted the party’s nomination, saying, “The Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. Buchanan, and a communist, Ms. Fulani. This is not company I wish to keep,” ending his presidential campaign for that election year.
After the State of the Union interview, Trump maintained that he always had and would continue to disavow Duke’s support.
Time – Donald Trump Refuses to Condemn KKK, Disavow David Duke Endorsement
NPR – Trump Fails To Condemn KKK On Television, Turns To Twitter To Clarify
Trump long perpetuated the debunked conspiracy, which held that Obama was born in Kenya and ineligible to be President, despite a lack of any evidence. He claimed that he had sent investigators to Hawaii who “cannot believe what they’re finding,” though nothing ever came of it.
In 2011, President Obama released his long-form birth certificate and made fun of Trump’s claims when he attended the 2011 Correspondent’s Dinner.
Even after Trump announced his candidacy in 2016, he defended his role in spreading the conspiracy theory against Obama, saying it “resonated with a lot of people,” and that he “doesn’t know, nobody knows” if the long-form birth certificate released was real.
When Trump finally acknowledged that Obama was born in the United States during his 2016 Presidential campaign, he blamed the conspiracy on opponent Hillary Clinton.
The New York Times – Donald Trump Clung to ‘Birther’ Lie for Years, and Still Isn’t Apologetic
ABC News – The Last Time Donald Trump Talked About ‘Birtherism’
BBC News – Donald Trump admits President Obama was born in US
Gold Star families are those that lost an immediately family member in the line of military duty. When one such family spoke at the Democratic National Convention, Trump suggested that the fallen soldier’s mother was not allowed to speak freely by her husband because they are Muslim.
Trump also suggested that Clinton’s campaign was supplying the family with talking points, saying,” “Who wrote that? Did Hillary’s scriptwriters write it?”
In response, 17 Gold Star families signed an open letter to Trump, which explained, “When you question a mother’s pain, by implying that her religion, not her grief, kept her from addressing an arena of people, you are attacking us. When you say your job building buildings is akin to our sacrifice, you are attacking our sacrifice.”
Trump explained in his defense that, “I think I’ve made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard.”
Trump has had a checkered past on dealing with service members and their families. Trump later also brought a pregnant Gold Star widow to tears when he forgot the name of her husband. In another instance, Trump sent a $25,000 personal check to a grieving family, though it was after news reports noted its delay from when it was originally promised. He also infamously said John McCain was not a war hero because he was captured, and referred to dodging STDs as his own “personal Vietnam,” while having dodged the draft five times.
USO – What is a Gold Star Family?
The Washington Post – Trump stirs outrage after he lashes out at the Muslim parents of a dead U.S. soldier
The New York Times – Donald Trump Criticizes Muslim Family of Slain U.S. Soldier, Drawing Ire
ABC News – Donald Trump to Father of Fallen Soldier: ‘I’ve Made a Lot of Sacrifices’
Wikipedia – Khizr and Ghazala Khan
The for-profit real estate training program was founded in 2005 and ran for 5 years before being investigated for illegal business practices and defrauding its students. Amid two federal class-action lawsuits and one filed in new York state court, it was shut down in 2011.
Trump University held no accreditation, and used high-pressure sales tactics to sell seminars to its “students.” It’s Gold Elite package was priced at $35,000.
Trump settled immediately after the 2016 election for $25 million, despite having said he never would. In that suit, he blamed court decisions on the judge, claiming bias due to the judge’s Hispanic ethnicity.
Politico – Trump moves to settle Trump University cases for $25 million
USA Today – Judge finalizes $25 million Trump University settlement for students of ‘sham university’
The New Yorker – Trump University: It’s Worse Than You Think
Wikipedia – Trump University
