called in to Fox & Friends where he ranted for 53 minutes?

During the 53 minutes, Trump spoke at length about various conspiracy theories and made several false claims about the ongoing impeachment hearings. Among them, Ukraine’s supposed role in tampering with elections, and how the phone call with the Ukrainian leader at the center of the impeachment hearings was made up. He also directly admitted to holding up the military aid that had been agreed upon by Congress, saying, “I mean, I asked it very point-blank, because we’re looking for corruption. There’s tremendous corruption. Why should we be giving hundreds of millions of dollars to countries when there’s this kind of corruption?”

Trump had also previously called in to Fox & Friends.

The New York Times – Trump’s Long List of Inaccurate Statements on ‘Fox & Friends’
Business Insider – Trump essentially admitted on live TV to doing the thing he’s accused of in the impeachment inquiry

dismissed concerns about ISIS fighters escaping from Syrian prisons by saying that they’d be going to Europe?

The ISIS fighters had managed to escape from Kurdish prisons in the wake of Turkey’s offensive against them. Turkey began offensive operations after Trump unilaterally removed all US forces in the region. Trump appeared unconcerned about European or Kurdish allies.

Axios – Trump on potential ISIS escapees: “They will be escaping to Europe”
Politico – Trump shrugs off ISIS fighters fleeing Syria: They’ll ‘be escaping to Europe’

justified tarrifs on French wine because he likes the way American wines look better?

Trump said, “I’ve always liked American wines better than French wines. Even though I don’t drink wine. I just like the way they look.”

called Representative Elijah Cummings “a brutal bully” before going on call his district “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess”?

The New York Times – Trump Assails Elijah Cummings, Calling His Congressional District a Rat-Infested ‘Mess’

asked staff to falsify records related to the Mueller investigation?

After Trump tried to fire the Special Counsel through White House Counsel Don McGahn, Trump later directed McGahn to put in writing that the request had never been made. The President remarked, “if he doesn’t write a letter, then maybe I’ll have to get rid of him.” McGahn refused, and though Trump backed down from his threat, McGahn ultimately resigned.

McGahn noted that during his tenure, he had been asked to “do crazy shit.”

The Special Counsel originated in an FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and officially formed after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey.

US Department of Justice – Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election (The Mueller Report), pages 86, 115-118
The Hill – Mueller tells House panel Trump asked staff to falsify records
NBC News – Mueller report found Trump directed White House lawyer to ‘do crazy s—“

said that Hurricane Florence was “one of the wettest we’ve ever seen, from the standpoint of water”?

His remark was,

I just want to thank all the incredible men and women who have done such a great job helping with Florence. This is a tough hurricane — one of the wettest we’ve ever seen, from the standpoint of water. Rarely have we had an experience like it. And it certainly is not good. But the people of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, all of the areas affected, you’ve been incredible.

Hurricane Florence left extensive damage throughout the Carolinas, and was directly responsible for 24 deaths.

New York Magazine – Trump Calls Hurricane Florence ‘One of the Wettest We’ve Ever Seen From the Standpoint of Water’
ABC News – Trump calls Florence ‘one of the wettest we’ve ever seen from the standpoint of water’

said, “I support the Great Lakes. Always have. They’re beautiful. They’re big. Very deep. Record deepness”?

Trump made the remarks at a rally in Michigan to explain why he backed funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. His 2020 budget planned to cut funding for the initiative by 90 percent.

The Hill – Trump contradicts his own budget proposal, tells rally crowd he’ll give more money for Great Lakes restoration
Associated Press – Trump backtracks on call to gut $300M Great Lakes program

told border patrol that breaking federal immigration laws would be met with a pardon?

Trump made the comment to the Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan during an April 2019 visit to the border at Calexico, California. It was not clear if the comment was a joke.

Kevin McAleenan was later chosen to serve as acting Homeland Security Secretary. He resigned from the post on October 11, 2019.

Kevin McAleenan official photo.jpg
Former Acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan. Wikipedia

In 2020, Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official, confirmed that Trump promised pardons to anyone who would illegally shut down the border.

CNN – Trump told CBP head he’d pardon him if he were sent to jail for violating immigration law 
The Hill – Trump told border official he’d pardon him if he went to jail over immigration moves: CNN
Wikipedia – Kevin McAleenan
Independent – Trump promised pardons for staff who broke law following his orders, former official says

More assuredly to come soon

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