claimed at the UN that “my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country,” prompting laughter?

At the United Nations General Assembly, Trump drew laughter after saying “my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country.” After, he remarked, “Didn’t expect that reaction, but that’s okay.”

During Obama’s administration, Trump said “we need a president who isn’t the laughing stock of the world.”

New York Magazine – Trump’s Plan to Make the World Respect America Again Is Succeeding — on His Terms
Business Insider – World leaders laugh as Trump claims his administration has accomplished more than any other in US history
Associated Press – World leaders laugh as Trump boasts of his achievements

justified voter ID laws by claiming that you need ID to buy groceries?

His complete remarks were,

“We believe that only American citizens should vote in American elections. Which is why the time has come for voter ID, like everything else. Voter ID. You know, if you go out and you want to buy groceries, you need a picture on a card, you need ID. You go out and you want to buy anything, you need ID and you need your picture. In this country, the only time you don’t need it, in many cases, is when you want to vote for a President, when you want to vote for a Senator, or a governor or Congressmen, it’s crazy. It’s crazy.”

Critics of voter ID laws often describe legislation as attempts to suppress voters. Trump has also claimed that he only lost the 2016 popular vote because of widespread voter fraud. Despite creating a commission to investigate, no evidence has been found. Years later, amid the COVID19 pandemic, Trump asserted that efforts to fund mail-in voting meant no Republican would again be elected.

At the same rally, Trump claimed that he could be more Presidential than anyone “except for maybe Abe Lincoln with the big hat.”

Associated Press – Promoting voter ID, Trump claims ID needed to buy groceries
The New York Times – Trump Says You Need an ID to Buy Groceries. Shoppers Say, ‘Huh?’
Time – President Trump Said ‘You Need an ID to Buy Groceries.’ The Internet Went to Town
USA Today – Trump Claims Americans Need ID to Buy Groceries

said he could be more Presidential than anyone, “except for possibly Abe Lincoln with the big hat”?

Trump made the remarks at a Tampa rally, which was also noted for the number of QAnon conspiracy theorists in attendance.

Trump also claimed at the rally that Americans need photo ID to purchase groceries.

An Economist/YouGov weekly tracking poll found in November, 2019 that 53% of Republicans considered Trump to be a superior President to Lincoln.

The Washington Post – ‘We are Q’: A deranged conspiracy cult leaps from the Internet to the crowd at Trump’s MAGA tour
The New Yorker – TRUMP’S INCREASINGLY WEIRD ATTEMPTS TO COMPARE HIMSELF TO LINCOLN
Reuters – Trump defends trade and tariff policies at Tampa rally
The Hill – Poll: Majority of Republicans say Trump better president than Lincoln

crammed five typos into one tweet?

In trying to reproduce a quote from a Fox News guest, Trump tweeted,

Special Council is told to find crimes wether crimes exist or not. I was opposed to the the selection of Mueller to be Special Council, I still am opposed to it. I think President Trump was right when he said there never should have bee a Special Council appointed because…..,

He misspelled “counsel” three times, and included “wether” and “the the” in his tweet. The tweet was immediately mocked across social media.

He soon after deleted and remade the tweet, though it still used “council” instead of “counsel.”

Regarding the claims that there was no justification to create the Special Counsel, the Department of Justice’s inspector general later found it both justified and without political bias.

Trump has also misspelled his officials’ name, his wife’s name, and his own name.

The Independent – Donald Trump may have ‘best words’, but spelling mistakes are commonplace among President and team
The Wrap – Trump Just Deleted ‘Special Council’ Tweet With 5 Typos
Real Clear Politics – Jeffrey Toobin vs. Dershowitz: Why Have You Been Carrying Water For Trump?; “This Is Not Who You Used To Be”

suggested that Montenegro could start World War 3?

When asked by Fox News host Tucker Carlson why America should have to defend the country, Trump again cast doubt on the core tenet of NATO, the mutual defense of all member nations.

I understand what you’re saying. I’ve asked the same question. Montenegro is a tiny country with very strong people. They’re very aggressive people. They may get aggressive, and congratulations, you’re in World War Three.

Montenegro is a Balkan nation of 630,000 people, and has been a NATO ally since 2017, officially joining during Trump’s presidency. Russia has behaved aggressively towards Montenegro, as it has with other neighbors, waging propaganda campaigns in the lead up to its joining NATO.

Trump infamously pushed the prime minister of Montenegro during a 2017 NATO summit.

Politico – Everything You Wanted to Know About Montenegro But Were Afraid to Ask
NBC News – Trump calls out ‘very aggressive’ Montenegro in latest NATO jibe
The New York Times – Montenegro: What to Know About the Tiny NATO Ally Trump Slighted
Wikipedia – Montenegro

claimed the death toll in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria was a Democrat conspiracy?

Trump claimed that the death toll in Puerto Rico following the devastating disaster was an inflated figure advanced by Democrats to make him look bad. Confused by how the count rose from the day of the hurricane, he did not seem to understanding that more victims were found in the following days, and that the death toll also included those who died as a consequence of the aftermath, like through lack of power or clean water. Even as the death toll continued to rise, Trump’s administration continually delayed aid funding, though he has also asserted that he’s the best thing that ever happened to the island.

The final death toll has been pegged at 2,975. 2,977 died across the attacks on 9/11 and 2,403 in Pearl Harbor.

The Hill – Trump says Puerto Rico death toll inflated by Democrats: ‘3000 people did not die’
The Wall Street Journal – Trump Denies Heavy Death Toll in Puerto Rico From Hurricane Maria
NPR – Trump Denies Almost 3,000 Died In Puerto Rico, Falsely Claims Democrats Inflated Data

attacked John McCain repeatedly for voting against Obamacare repeal?

Trump railed against Senator John McCain for being the deciding vote against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Even after McCain’s death, Trump called his behavior “disgraceful,” among other remarks:

We needed 60 votes, and we had 51 votes. And sometimes, you know, we had a little hard time with a couple of them, right? Fortunately, they’re gone now. They’ve gone on to greener pastures—or perhaps far less green pastures. But they’re gone. They’re gone, Bill. I’m very happy they’re gone.

Trump and McCain had a long and mutual animosity. Trump infamously said he didn’t consider the former Vietnam pilot and Viet Cong prisoner a war hero because he was captured.

After the failure to repeal Obamacare without any Republican alternative, Trump remarked that “nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated.” He later claimed that he “saved Pre-Existing Conditions,” even though that was a landmark provision of the legislation that he sought to repeal.

The Hill – Trump attacks John McCain over Obamacare repeal
USA Today – President Donald Trump on the late Sen. John McCain: ‘He did the nation a tremendous disservice’
The New York Times – Trump Again Attacks a Dead Senator: ‘I Never Will Be’ a Fan of John McCain

ended joint defense exercises between the US and South Korea at North Korea’s request?

In a major concession to North Korea, Trump said that he would be ending the “provocative” defensive joint exercises with South Korea. He also said that US soldiers stationed in South Korea should be withdrawn “at some point.” It was unclear what concessions and assurances North Korea offered in return. In response, Congress passed budget legislation prohibiting the reduction of US forces in South Korea below 22,000.

The move came after a summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un in Singapore, which featured an awkward moment where Trump saluted a North Korean officer. Trump had said he didn’t need to prepare or take notes for the historic meeting.

Trump gave his assurances that if he was wrong about trusting Kim Jong Un, he’d “find some kind of excuse.”

The New York Times – Pentagon and Seoul Surprised by Trump Pledge to Halt Military Exercises
Reuters – Trump surprises with pledge to end military exercises in South Korea
ABC News – Trump’s pledge to stop ‘war games’ with South Korea throws critical exercises into question
Time – ‘Think of It From a Real Estate Perspective’: The Most Memorable Quotes From the Trump-Kim Summit Press Conference
The Hill – Bipartisan House group introduces bills to stall Syria, South Korea troop withdrawals
WIkipedia – 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit

said he didn’t need preparation or notes for a summit with Kim Jong-Un?

Trump explained that he didn’t need to prepare much for an upcoming summit with North Korea in Singapore, a first between the two nations. Instead, he explained that it was all about “attitude.”

He also said that he didn’t need notes from the meeting, due to having “one of the great memories of all time,” a claim Trump has repeated elsewhere.

After the meeting, Trump declared he would end “provocative” joint defense exercises in South Korea.

Boomberg – Trump Says He Doesn’t Need to ‘Prepare Very Much’ for Kim Summit
Politico – Trump says Kim meeting will be about ‘attitude,’ not prep work
ABC News – Trump says he doesn’t need to ‘prepare very much’ for North Korea summit, ‘it’s about attitude’
The Hill – Trump on lack of notes from Kim meeting: ‘I have one of the great memories of all time’

said the US should prevent forest fires by “raking and cleaning and doing things”?

Trump left many confused when he discussed how Finland prevented widespread forest fires, and how the United States should emulate them. He recalled a conversation with the leader of Finland, saying, “They spend a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things.” He explained, “We’ve got to take care of the floors, you know the floors of the forest, very important. You look at other countries where they do it differently and it’s a whole different story.

The Finnish President said that “raking” never came up in their conversation. Trump was likely referring to methods of clearing brush, which are in fact key methods of preventing and minimizing fires, and are employed in California and elsewhere.

Trump made the remarks while visiting Paradise, California, a town that had been devastated by forest fires. He later threatened to withhold funding to California for managing fires and disaster relief.

Newsweek – TRUMP SUGGESTS NOT RAKING LEAVES IS BIGGER CAUSE OF CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES THAN CLIMATE CHANGE
Independent – Trump leaves Finland bewildered by claiming country stops wildfires by ‘raking and cleaning’

More assuredly to come soon

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