suggested sending Americans infected with coronavirus to Guantanamo Bay?

According to the book Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration’s Response to the Pandemic That Changed History, authored by Washington Post reporters, Trump inquired about sending coronavirus-infected Americans to Guantanamo Bay.

“Don’t we have an island that we own? What about Guantanamo?” Trump reportedly asked in February 2020.

Guantanamo, aside from not being an island, is a military prison commonly used to house suspects of terrorism.

Trump publicly and repeatedly dismissed concerns about coronavirus throughout the pandemic.

The Washington Post – New book offers fresh details about chaos, conflicts inside Trump’s pandemic response
Forbes – Trump Reportedly Considered Sending Covid-Infected American Tourists To Guantanamo
Vanity Fair – Not a Joke: Trump Wanted to Send COVID-Infected Americans to Guantánamo Bay
Al Jazeera – Trump wanted to send COVID-infected Americans to Guantanamo: Book

said, “People don’t realize, you know, the Civil War, if you think about it, why?”

In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Trump wondered, “People don’t realize, you know, the Civil War, if you think about it, why?”

Trump argued that President Andrew Jackson, who died 16 years prior, could’ve stopped it: “He was really angry that he saw what was happening with regard to the Civil War, he said, ‘There’s no reason for this.'”

He defended the claim on Twitter.

President Andrew Jackson, who died 16 years before the Civil War started, saw it coming and was angry. Would never have let it happen!
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/859209801175269376

Trump later said people don’t realize “Republicans really did the thing” during the Civil War, though the end result was “questionable.”

The Hill – Trump: ‘Why was there the Civil War?’
CNBC – Trump: ‘People don’t ask that question, but why was there a Civil War?’

Toronto Star – ‘People don’t ask that question. But why was there the Civil War?’ Trump asks
Trump Twitter Archive

downsized the National Security Council?

At the start of 2020, Trump downsized the National Security Council by about a third. The NSC advises the President on threats, from international adversaries to terrorism to pandemics.

Proponents asserted that the NSC had suffered from bloat over multiple administrations, and that a leaner organization would be more effective. This was the reasoning behind the 2018 dismantling and reorganization of the Obama-era pandemic task force. Critics alleged that the downsizing was a political purge, and actively made the nation less safe, particularly amid escalating tensions following a drone strike on a senior Iranian official and the emerging coronavirus pandemic.

The Atlantic – Enacting Trump’s Revenge Campaign
NPR – Trump Administration Has Been Downsizing The National Security Council
LA Times – White House quietly trims dozens of national security experts
NBC News – Trump cuts to national security staff may hurt coronavirus response, former officials say

removed several departmental watch dogs?

Amid the COVID19 pandemic, Trump removed several watch dogs tasked with oversight of their respective departments. Most notably, the individual responsible for leading a committee to provide oversight for $2 trillion in coronavirus stimulus, Glenn Fine, was replaced on April 6, 2020. Fine was the Department of Defense’s principal deputy inspector general since June 2015.

Michael Atkinson was also fired after passing on a whistleblower complaint regarding the Ukrainian quid-pro-quo scandal, for which Trump was later impeached.

Others fired in the 6-week period included inspector generals for the Transportation Department, State Department, and Department of Health and Human Services.

CBS News – The internal watchdogs Trump has fired or replaced
NPR – In Another Pushback Against Oversight, Trump Removes Pandemic Inspector General
Politico – Trump removes independent watchdog for coronavirus funds, upending oversight panel

Politifact – Trump has pushed out 5 inspectors general since April. Here’s who they are

was banned from Twitter?

Two days after supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2o21, Twitter permanently suspended Trump’s account. The decision was due to their “Glorification of Violence policy, which aims to prevent the glorification of violence that could inspire others to replicate violent acts,” drawing a direct connection between them and the Capitol riot and concern of further unrest.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey explained that, while he believed the decision to be right, was concerned about the precedent such a ban might create.

Twitter Blog – Permanent suspension of @realDonaldTrump
The New York Times – Inside Twitter’s Decision to Cut Off Trump
NPR – Jack Dorsey Says Trump’s Twitter Ban Was ‘Right Decision’ But Worries About Precedent
Business Insider – Twitter loses $5 billion in market value after Trump is permanently barred from the platform

incited an insurrection at the US Capitol?

On January 6, 2020, the US Senate was scheduled to certify Electoral College votes, cementing Joe Biden’s victory over Trump. The routine process takes approximately half an hour to complete. Instead, it was interrupted by a mob that overtook the Capitol itself, incited by months of unproven allegations of mass voter fraud.

US Capitol in the evening of January 6, 2021

After months of fraud allegations and over 60 failed lawsuits, Trump delivered a speech on the morning of the 6th in which he refused to  concede and promised to join his supporters in a march on the Capitol.

Rudy Giuliani, head of Trump’s legal team, also demanded “trial by combat.”

In the afternoon, Trump supporters began marching to “Stop the Steal.” A noose was erected outside Capitol grounds.

Image: Noose at U.S. Capitol
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP – Getty Images

Protesters approached the Capitol, breaking through barriers and attacking media present, destroying their equipment.

Even as the protests around the Capitol escalated into riots, Trump fomented his supporters’ anger via Twitter, reiterating past claims that Pence could overturn the Electoral College results. The tweets were removed and his account suspended. Facebook soon followed with a suspension of their own.

Meanwhile, Trump supporters clashed with police and overran the Capitol grounds. In one instance, they replaced the US flag with a Trump flag.

As the violence escalated with police outside, Trump’s supporters breached the building itself, smashing windows and breaking through the main door. Instigated by Trump’s remarks about Pence’s unwillingness to overturn the election, they chanted “hang Mike Pence.”

Congress was evacuated in the middle of their session and taken to a secure location.

While the legislature was evacuated, guards were in an armed standoff at the entrance of the House chamber.

Capitol police ceded most of the building. Trump’s supporters’ occupation marked the first time since the War of 1812 that the Capitol had been seized by a hostile force. Offices were ransacked, while people recorded themselves going through computers and documents. One man was photographed shortly before 2PM,  shouting that Trump had won the election in the House chamber. Two hours later another was photographed parading a Confederate battle flag through the halls.

Pipe bombs were also discovered, though none detonated. The FBI offered a $50,000 reward for information on the suspect.

Police were eventually able to clear the Capitol, and the city of Washington DC instituted a 6PM curfew. By the end of the night, over 50 officers were injured, with over 60 arrests. A woman attempting to forcibly gain access to a barricaded area was shot and killed. She was later identified as an Air Force veteran of 14 years and a QAnon supporter. Over the course of the day, three others died, attributed to medical emergencies; one was reportedly the result of a man accidentally tazing himself and subsequently suffering a heart attack. That evening, Capitol officer Brian D. Sicknick succumbed to injuries sustained during the riots.

Once the Capitol was secured, the Senate resumed the certification of electoral college votes. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denounced any further intervention in the election results by Congress, saying “it would damage our republic forever.”

While Mitt Romney accused Trump of inciting the riots and Linsdey Graham forcefully asserted that Biden was the lawful winner of the election, not all Senate Republicans agreed. Matt Gaetz baselessly alleged that the rioters were actually Antifa agent provocateurs.

An objection to certifying Georgia’s election results was dismissed after Senators withdrew support because of the day’s events.

Ultimately, at near 4AM, the process concluded and Pence announced that Biden was in fact the winner, and would be the next President of the United States.

A playlist of chronological videos, including many created by those inside the Capitol, can be found at Youtube – Remember45 | Capitol Riots

The New York Times – Mob Attack, Incited by Trump, Delays Election Certification
USA Today – Pence affirms Biden as winner, formalizing electoral count after day of riots at Capitol; Trump prepares for exit
Fox News – Biden’s Electoral College victory certified — hours after Capitol chaos
PBS NewsHour – Objections to Georgia results fail without senators’ support
NPR – 4 Dead, Police Injured, Dozens Arrested After Siege At The U.S. Capitol
CNBC – More than 50 police officers were hurt at pro-Trump riot at the Capitol that also killed 4
USA Today – DC riots live updates: Trump condemned, police defend actions, city stunned after violent Capitol siege

Snopes – Does Video Show Capitol Police Opening Gates for Rioters?
KUSI News – KUSI News confirms identity of woman shot and killed inside US Capitol
Revolt – Man died at U.S. Capitol after accidentally tasering himself and having a heart attack
SFGate – A QAnon promoter stormed the Capitol. Now, he’s upset people are saying he’s ‘antifa’
WTOP News – FBI offering up to $50K for information on DNC and RNC pipe bombs
USCP.gov – Loss of USCP Officer Brian D. Sicknick
Youtube – Remember45 | Capitol Riots

pardoned four former Blackwater contractors convicted for perpetrating a massacre?

In late December 2020, Trump issued a wave of pardons that included four former Blackwater contractors responsible for the Nisour Square massacre. After 7 years of proceedings, they had been found guilty of a 2007 shooting that left 17 dead and 20 others wounded. An FBI investigation determined that 14 of the 17 dead were unarmed and unjustifiably killed.

Supporters of four former Blackwater security guards
Pardoned war criminals Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Nicholas Slatten and Paul Slough. AP

The United Nation’s human rights office said in response that the pardons were themselves a violation of international law, and could contribute to the normalization of such crimes.

Trump had previously defended others charged and pardoned others convicted of war crimes.

The New York Times – F.B.I. Says Guards Killed 14 Iraqis Without Cause
USA Today – 4 ex-Blackwater guards guilty of deadly Iraq shooting
The New York Times – Trump Pardons Two Russia Inquiry Figures and Blackwater Guards
Reuters – Trump pardon of Blackwater Iraq contractors violates international law – UN
Fox News – UN hits Trump over Blackwater pardons, says move ‘contributes to impunity’
Wikipedia – Nisour Square massacre

said to “get rid of the ballots,” refusing to agree to peaceful transferal of power?

During a White House press conference on September 23, Trump deflected from a question on whether he would accept the outcome of the election.

SPEAKER: ..Do you commit to making sure that there’s a peaceful transferal of power?

 

TRUMP: We want to have… Get rid of the ballots and we’ll have a very peaceful… There won’t be a transfer frankly, there’ll be a continuation. The ballots are out of control. You know it, and you know who knows it better than anybody else? The Democrats know it better than anybody else.

Even up to the election itself, he refused to confirm that he would accept any outcome other than his own victory.

Forbes – Trump Won’t Commit To Peaceful Power Transfer, Says ‘Get Rid Of The Ballots’ For ‘Continuation’ Of His Presidency
NBC News – Trump on peaceful transition if he loses: ‘Get rid of the ballots’ and ‘there won’t be a transfer’
Rev – White House Press Briefing, September 23, Transcript

wrongly said Vice President Pence could overturn election results?

Two months after Trump lost the 2020 election and dozens of failed lawsuits, he asserted Vice President Pence’s power to reject election results. The tweet came one day before Pence oversaw the certification of Electoral College votes.

Pence had reportedly already explained to Trump that he does not have the power to change election results. The Constitution’s 12 Amendment states on the Vice President’s role as President of the Senate:

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; — The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed;

Amid the Capitol riots the following day on January 6, 2021, Trump tweeted about Pence’s refusal to break the bounds of his Constitutional role. It was removed by Twitter shortly after.

Pence defies Trump, says he can't reject electoral votes | Election  Headquarters | khq.com

The New York Times – Trump Says Pence Can Overturn His Loss in Congress. That’s Not How It Works.
The New York Times – Pence Said to Have Told Trump He Lacks Power to Change Election Result
Forbes – Trump Claims Pence ‘Has The Power’ To Toss Out Biden’s Electoral Votes (He Doesn’t)
Constitution.org – Election of President and Vice President

claimed mass fraud after losing the 2020 election?

On the evening of Election Day on November 3, 2020, Trump announced victory. However, over the next four days, Biden pulled ahead in several battleground states until his victory was announced on November 7. The Trump campaign launched a series of lawsuits alleging mass fraud across the nation.

The Claims

Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s lead lawyer, held a press conference at Four Seasons to highlight claims of fraud and their upcoming legal battles. The primary assertion was that fraud likely took place because of an influx of mail-in ballot votes, and a supposed lack of access by the Republican poll watchers for oversight in vote counting. Giuliani claimed that there had also been thousands of votes from deceased that were improperly counted.

The conference became notable for its location at Four Seasons Landscaping, and for taking place during the announcement that Biden had won. Situated next to a sex shop and crematorium, it was suspected that the location was booked in error, and was intended to be at a Four Seasons hotel. At the time the press conference was taking place, Trump was playing golf. It was then that Biden was announced the winner:

In another press conference on November 19, Giuliani reiterated his claims about fraud and the lack of adequate oversight from poll watchers, referencing the film My Cousin Vinny to make his case.

During the conference, Sidney Powell, another senior Trump lawyer, announced suits in Georgia and Michigan against Dominion, which provided substantial voting infrastructure across the country. Powell also alleged a global communist conspiracy behind the fraud. She was soon after dismissed from the legal team.

The lawsuits asserted a variety of claims. Examples included:

  • Mail-in ballots that hadn’t been accurately signed and marked on the outside
  • Mail-in ballots not in their original envelopes
  • Non-uniform curing, or fixing of ballot mistakes, being unconstitutional
  • State guidances on mail-in voting
  • Multiple votes from the same individuals
  • More votes than the voting population of the corresponding district
  • Higher rates of machines rejections for Republican ballots
  • “Over votes” from the use of Sharpies and its bleed through the paper

The Results

Trump’s legal team sought to delay or prevent certification of election results in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada. Certification is the legal process by which states officially submit their results, with deadlines defined by state law.

None of the suits were allowed to prevent certification. The one victory the Trump team achieved – the exclusion of votes in Pennsylvania which were too few to have any influence – was reversed by the state’s Supreme Court. In another instance, the Trump legal team spent $3 million for a recount in a Wisconsin county, only for more Biden votes to be discovered.

By the time a month had passed from the election, with 10 cases still pending, the Trump campaign had won zero out of 32 suits. While the campaign pledged more, the judges’ opinions on many of the dismissed suits – including by judges appointing by Trump – gave clear pictures of how little basis the suits had. One Michigan judge deemed the provided proof as “inadmissible hearsay within hearsay.” A Georgia judge said another suit “would breed confusion and disenfranchisement.” A Pennsylvania judge said of yet another suit, “This claim, like Frankenstein’s Monster, has been haphazardly stitched together.”

Transition & Certification

For three weeks after the election, the administration refused to begin the transition process to the President-elect. However, on November 24, head of the General Services Administration Emily W. Murphy confirmed that she would approve the formal transition process, freeing federal money and allowing security briefings for the Biden team.

On December 1, Attorney General Bill Barr said if there was fraud, there wasn’t enough to change the results of the election. This marked a notable shift for Barr, who had provided Trump legal cover through the Mueller investigation and impeachment over Ukrainian quid-pro-quo. Others who had contradicted Trump’s claims of voter fraud, including the head of the organization responsible for election security, were fired.

By the time a month had passed from the election, all of the battleground states in question had been certified.

The Tweetstorm

Over the course of the month following the election, Trump tweeted dozens of unfounded claims about mass fraud, all flagged by Twitter. While the following are examples of claims about victory, poll observers, fake news, rigging, and individual states, each were reiterated by Trump several times on Twitter.

The Claims
Business Insider – Dominion Voting Systems tore into Sidney Powell’s lawsuit accusing it of a vast conspiracy, calling it ‘baseless, senseless, physically impossible’
Politico – Trump campaign cuts Sidney Powell from president’s legal team
The Results
Business Insider – Trump spent $3 million for a vote recount in Wisconsin’s largest county to support his baseless claim of ballot fraud but lost by even more than initially thought
The New York Times – Trump Is Not Doing Well With His Election Lawsuits. Here’s a Rundown.
Business Insider – Trump and his allies have won zero out at least 32 lawsuits they’ve filed since Election Day
The New York Times – Over 30 Trump Campaign Lawsuits Have Failed. Some Rulings Are Scathing.

Transition & Certification
Associated Press – Disputing Trump, Barr says no widespread election fraud

Associated Press – Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote security
The New York Times – Trump Administration Approves Start of Formal Transition to Biden
CNN – How election certification works and why it matters more than ever this year
NBC News – Trump administration officially authorizes Biden transition
The Washington Post – Wisconsin and Arizona make it official as Trump fails to stop vote certification in all six states where he contested his defeat
Business Insider – All major battleground states in the 2020 election officially certify their results, cementing Biden’s victory in the presidential race
The Twitterstorm
Trump Twitter Archive V2

More assuredly to come soon

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