acknowledged that he made up a claim about having a trade deficit when speaking to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau?
Trump explained to donors that when he was told by the Prime Minister that the US didn’t have in fact have a trade deficit with Canada, he said:
“‘Wrong, Justin, you do.’ I didn’t even know. I had no idea. I just said, ‘You’re wrong.'”
CBS News – Trump tells donors he made up trade claim in Trudeau talk
The New York Times – Trump Says He Made Up Deficit Claim in Talk with Trudeau, Baffling Canadians
The Washington Post – In fundraising speech, Trump says he made up trade claim in meeting with Justin Trudeau
took $9.8 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s funding to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement?
FEMA is responsible for providing coordination and relief from major disasters, including hurricanes and wildfires.
asked his top economic adviser to “print money” to lower US debt?
In Bob Woodward’s 2018 book Fear, former chief economic advisor Gary Cohn explained Trump’s suggestion to deal with the United States’ record national debt: “Just run the presses — print money.”
Printing money to offset debt can lead to runaway inflation, which Cohn said he went on to explain to the President.
Trump made similar remarks in his campaign about how the United States could never default because it could simply print more money.
Cohn also described Trump as “an idiot surrounded by clowns” that is “less a person than a collection of terrible traits.”
CNBC – Trump told Gary Cohn to ‘print money’ to lower the national debt, according to Bob Woodward’s book
CNN – Trump: U.S. will never default ‘because you print the money’
The Hill – Trump’s plan to help eliminate the federal debt was to print money: Woodward book
said that the US will never default on its debt because “you print the money”?
Printing money to offset debt can lead to massive inflation.
CNN – Trump: U.S. will never default ‘because you print the money’
said he didn’t care if sexual assault accusations about his SCOTUS pick were true?
Trump made the remark during a 60 Minutes interview after his SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed.
STAHL: Do you think you treated her with respect?
TRUMP: I think so, yeah, I did.
STAHL: But you seem to be saying that she lied.
TRUMP: I’m not going to get into it, because we won. It doesn’t matter. We won.
Trump was referencing the allegations that Dr. Christine Ford’s levied against SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh. She said that a drunk Kavanaugh held her down on a bed grinding and groping her, pulled off her clothes, and covered her mouth when as she tried to scream. Ford, professor of psychology at Palo Alto University and research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, also provided polygraph exam results regarding her allegations.
Trump had repeatedly dismissed Dr. Ford’s allegations.
The Wall Street Journal – Trump: Mockery of Christine Blasey Ford “Doesn’t Matter. We Won.”
The Week – Trump says that if Christine Ford’s sexual assault allegations were ‘as bad as she says,’ she should have reported it immediately
Wikipedia – Christine Balsey Ford, Sexual assault allegation against Brett Kavanaugh
dismissed a United Nations report on climate change?
The report was created by a the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a panel of 91 scientists from 40 countries. Trump explained,
“It was given to me. And I want to look at who drew it. You know, which group drew it. I can give you reports that are fabulous, and I can give you reports that aren’t so good. But I will be looking at it, absolutely.”
Trump has referred to climate change as a “Chinese hoax” and claimed that windmills cause cancer. He also withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, an international coalition of nations seeking to combat climate change.
The US Department of Defense has called climate change a national security threat.
ABC News – State Dept casts doubt on UN climate report as Trump says: ‘I want to look at who drew it’
US Department of Defense – DoD Releases Report on Security Implications of Climate Change
called protesters of SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh “elevator screamers” that were paid by George Soros?
Trump made the remark on Twitter in October 2018. Trump also claimed they were paid by billionaire George Soros.
Talking Points Memo – Trump Calls Kavanaugh Protesters ‘Elevator Screamers’ Paid By Soros
claimed to distance himself from his businesses, using stacks of unlabeled folders as proof?
Presidents divest their private businesses, usually putting them in a blind trust, in order to avoid conflicts of interest and breaking the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. While blind trusts are not necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Emoluments Clause, Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all did so, while Obama placed his holdings into standard index funds.
Trump refused either a blind trust or relinquishing ownership of his company. He instead said he would resign from all positions and hand control to his sons, with the promise that they would not discuss anything business related.
In January 2017, Trump held his first press conference as President-Elect. He used a large stack of unlabeled folders as proof that he had handed over his company to his sons. He did not allow reporters to look at their contents.
Don and Eric are going to be running the company. They’re going to be running it in a very professional manner. They’re not going to discuss it with me. Again, I don’t have to do this.
Trump also called the emoluments clause of the Constitution “phony” and claimed that Article II of the Constitution gave him “the right to do whatever I want.” Trump also repeatedly promised to release his tax returns both during his campaign and after becoming President.
The Washington Post – Donald Trump won’t do what Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush did
MarketWatch – Ethics laws don’t require Trump to give up control of his ‘unprecedented’ portfolio
Reuters – Trump says won’t divest from his business while president
The Hill – Trump barred reporters from examining stacks of folders at press conference
Britannica – What Is the Emoluments Clause?
