claimed that past presidents didn’t call families of fallen soldiers, while he had for “virtually everybody”?
Trump specifically named Obama as being among those that didn’t reach out to the families of fallen soldiers, saying, “If you look at President Obama, and other presidents, most of them didn’t make calls, a lot of them didn’t make calls. I like to call when it’s appropriate, when I think I am able to do it.” When this was shown to be untrue, Trump backtracked by saying, “President Obama I think probably did sometimes, and maybe sometimes he didn’t. I don’t know. That’s what I was told. Other presidents did not call. They’d write letters. And some presidents didn’t do anything.”
In the past, Trump had also attacked one Gold Star family for speaking at the DNC, brought a pregnant war widow to tears, and said he didn’t consider McCain a war hero because of his capture, despite having avoided the draft 5 times himself. However, in another instance, he sent a $25,000 personal check to offer his condolences to a grieving Gold Star family.
USA Today – Trump makes false claim that former presidents didn’t call families of slain troops
Business Insider – Trump said he called the families of ‘virtually everybody’ who died in service — but internal White House-Pentagon emails tell a different story
brought a war widow to tears, then called her account wrong because he had “one of the greatest memories of all time”?
Army Sergeant La David Johnson was killed during an ambush in Niger by elements of ISIS. The event was the largest loss of American lives in Africa during combat since the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993.
La David’s pregnant widow said that Trump forgot her husband’s name during a phone call he’d made to offer condolences. Trump also remarked about her husband that, “He knew what he signed up for, but it hurts anyways.”
When the widow’s account of the phone call was reported, Trump said she was wrong because he has “one of the greatest memories of all time.”
He also tweeted that he had said the name “without hesitation.”
A few days later, Trump defended himself by saying that past Presidents didn’t even call the families of fallen soldiers.
Trump also attacked a Gold Star family for speaking at the DNC and disparaged US Senator John McCain’s service in Vietnam because he liked people “who weren’t captured.” In another instance, Trump sent a $25,000 personal check to a grieving family, though it came after news reports on its delay months after the promise.
The New York Times – Soldier’s Widow Says Trump Struggled to Remember Sgt. La David Johnson’s Name
Business Insider – TRUMP: I remember call to Gold Star widow better than she does because I have ‘one of the great memories of all-time’
The Washington Post – President Trump has one of the greatest memories of all time
Wikipedia – Tongo Tongo ambush
boasted about himself in front of the CIA’s Memorial Wall?
In front of the Memorial Wall, Trump repeated false claims about having the biggest inaugural turnout, which had just taken place the day prior. He also claimed to have the most covers on Time Magazine, which is untrue even when counting the fake ones Trump hung at his properties.
Trumps remarks, made at the intelligence community’s equivalent of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, were derided as extremely inappropriate.
The Hill – Why Trump’s CIA speech was simply inappropriate
The Washington Post -Trump called it ‘a very special’ wall. For the CIA it is sacrosanct.
The Atlantic – How Not to Smooth Things Over with the CIA
acknowledged keeping a book of Hitler’s speeches in his bedroom?
He went on to say that if he had the book that he already acknowledged he had, he wouldn’t read it, and that it was given to him by a Jewish friend who wasn’t in fact Jewish.
mispronounced Namibia during a meeting with African leaders?
Trump repeatedly referred to the African nation as “Nambia,” drawing criticism and jokes.
Trump had also pronounced Nepal and Bhutan as “nipple” and “button.”
Business Insider – Trump made up an African country while speaking with African world leaders
Politico – Trump’s diplomatic learning curve: Time zones, ‘Nambia’ and ‘Nipple’
The Washington Post – How Namibia responded to Trump inventing a country called ‘Nambia’
referred to Haiti, El Salvador, and parts of Africa as “shithole countries”?
Trump prompted international outcry with his remark. He had also asked why any immigrants should be allowed from such countries, instead of “more people from Norway.”
The Washington Post – Trump attacks protections for immigrants from ‘shithole’ countries
AP News – Trump: Why allow immigrants from ‘shithole countries’?
Reuters – ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ – Norwegians reject Trump’s immigration offer
wanted a military parade for his inauguration, including tracked vehicles and missile launchers?
The military refused the request, noting that a military parade with such vehicles would rip up city streets.
The Hill – Trump team wanted military vehicles in inaugural parade: report
New York Post – Military refused Trump’s bid to parade missile launchers at inauguration
called trade wars “good” and “easy to win”?
The tweet was made amid the announcement of U.S. plans to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum.
The Washington Post – Actually, trade wars aren’t good or easy to win
called himself “a very stable genius” again at a NATO press conference?
The remark was made while responding to reporters at a NATO summit.
It wasn’t the first time he referred to himself as a “stable genius,” having also said so in a tweet some six months earlier.
CNN – Trump to reporter: I’m a very stable genius
CNN – Trump: I’m a very stable genius
