deflected to New Zealand’s “big surge” in COVID-19 cases?

During an August 17, 2020 speech, Trump pointed to New Zealand’s surge in COVID-19 cases as an example of how other countries weren’t handling COVID-19 well.

All of a sudden a lot of the places they were using to hold up, they are having a big surge, and I don’t want that, I don’t want that. But they were holding up names of countries and now they’re saying, whoops! Like even New Zealand, you see what’s going on in New Zealand. They beat it, they beat it, it was like front page, they beat it, because they wanted to show me some. The problem is, big surge in New Zealand.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pointed out, “I don’t think there’s any comparison…we quite easily see that New Zealand’s nine cases in a day does not compare to the United States’ tens of thousands.”

New Zealand, which had completely eradicated the virus, recorded 9 new cases the day prior, totaling 1,631 cases and 22 deaths. On the same day, the United States reported approximately 40,000 new cases, totaling 5,631,457 cases and 174,272 deaths. Even adjusting for population, the United States had 131 times as many deaths.

The Guardian – Trump calls out New Zealand’s ‘terrible’ Covid surge, on day it records nine new cases
Worldometer – Coronavirus

wanted to increase water flow in showers because his hair “has to be perfect”?

The Department of Energy proposed an amendment to regulations on water fixtures. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1992 declared a maximum water threshold for showerheads of 2.5 gallons per minute

Trump previously complained about low flow toilets that require one to flush “10 to 15 times,” directing the EPA to investigate.

Market Watch – Trump wants ‘perfect’ hair from stronger water flow in the shower — his Energy Department delivers 
Miami Herald – Trump wants better water flow in his shower. Here’s what that means for you

took credit for Obama’s Veteran’s Choice bill?

Throughout his presidency, Trump claimed multiple times that he was responsible for the Veteran’s Choice Program, which allows veterans to seek care outside of VA medical facilities. The bill as part of a bipartisan effort signed into law in 2014 by Barack Obama. Trump signed the Mission Act in 2018, which expanded on the Veteran’s Choice Program

During an October, 2018 rally in Tennessee, Trump said,

We just passed choice. That was 44 years, they’ve been trying to pass choice. They’ve been trying to pass that one for many many decades. They couldn’t do it. We got it passed.

At a May, 2019 rally in Pennsylvania, Trump reiterated his claims:

We passed VA Choice and VA Accountability to give our veterans the care that they deserve and they have been trying to pass these things for 45 years.

Dr. Richard Stone, Executive in Charge of the Veterans Health Administration, said Trump’s expansion was to “almost be a non-event,” as wait times were longer in private hospitals than VA facilities, and the use of private hospitals by veterans had begun to decline in response.

Trump again made the claim in an August, 2020 press conference, but when pressed on the inaccuracy of the claim, left abruptly.

Associated Press – AP FACT CHECK: Trump takes credit for Obama’s gains for vets
Rolling Stone – Trump Takes Credit for Veterans Healthcare Program That Started Under Obama
Slate – Watch Trump Abruptly End News Conference After He Is Challenged on Veterans Choice Lie
Snopes – Trump Takes Credit for Obama’s Gains for Vets
Military.com – A Million Veterans Have Looked Into Private Care Since Mission Act Rollout​
Wikipedia – Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014

asked about getting his face on Mount Rushmore?

Governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem (R) recounted her first meeting with Trump in 2018 at the Oval office:

“He said, ‘Kristi, come on over here. Shake my hand. I shook his hand, and I said, ‘Mr. President, you should come to South Dakota sometime. We have Mount Rushmore.’ And he goes, ‘Do you know it’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?’ I started laughing. He wasn’t laughing, so he was totally serious.”

According to The New York Times, a Presidential aide reached out to her later to inquire about the process for being added to Mount Rushmore. Trump immediately derided it as “fake news,” because immediately saying “sounds like a good idea to me!”

Trump brought up the idea of being put on Mount Rushmore in a July 2017 rally, though he said he was “totally joking.”

CNN – New York Times: White House reached out to South Dakota governor about adding Trump to Mount Rushmore
ABC News – Trump denies WH asked about adding him to Mount Rushmore, then calls it a ‘good idea’
Argus Leader – Mount Trumpmore? It’s the president’s ‘dream,’ Rep. Kristi Noem says

said that Spanish Flu likely ended World War II?

During an August 10th, 2020 press conference, Trump said that the 1917 Spanish Flu “probably ended the Second World War.”

Trump likely meant the First World War, though was also still wrong about the date, as the Spanish Flu spread in 1918 and not 1917.

On the day of his remark, the United States was expericing record cases of COVID-19, with a total of 5,251,446 confirmed cases and 166,192 deaths.

Business Insider – Trump said the 1918 Spanish Flu ‘probably ended’ WWII, which did not begin until 21 years after the pandemic
USA Today – Trump erroneously says 1918 Spanish Flu ‘probably ended’ WWII, which happened two decades later
Worldometer – Coronavirus, United States

retweeted a video with false COVID-19 claims from a doctor who warned of “evil deposits”?

Trump retweeted a video of Stella Immanuel claiming that hydroxochloroquine was a cure for COVID-19. Trump made the unsubstantiated claims about the drug many times, despite there being no evidence for it. She also called masks unnecessary.

Immanuel previously claimed that various gynecological diseases were the result of sexual intercourse with demons and their “evil deposits.” She also claimed that medicines were made from “alien DNA.” In 2019, she was sued for malpractice.

In a subsequent press conference, Trump referred to her as “very impressive,” drawing criticism and ridicule as “demon sperm” became a trending Twitter topic.

The Washington Post – Trump retweeted a video with false covid-19 claims. One doctor in it has said demons cause illnesses.
The Daily Beast – Trump’s New Favorite Doctor Stella Immanuel Was Sued for Medical Malpractice in 2019

promoted Goya products in the Oval Office?

On July 9, 2020, Goya CEO Robert Unanue appeared at the White House Rose Garden to praise Trump. Unanue likened Trump to his grandfather, who founded Goya, saying “We’re all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder. And that’s what my grandfather did.”

The remarks immediate sparked backlash against the company from critics of the administration. In response, Trump and his daughter Ivank posed with various Goya products, posting them on Instagram and Twitter.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCrAzKiBFUQ/?utm_source=ig_embed

The photos were met with another round of backlash, as they appeared to violate federal ethics rules about using one’s position for promotional purposes. Federal law outlining the standards of conduct for employees in the executive branch are directly prohibited from using the office for private gain:

§ 2635.702 Use of public office for private gain.

An employee shall not use his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise, or for the private gain of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity, including nonprofit organizations of which the employee is an officer or member, and persons with whom the employee has or seeks employment or business relations. The specific prohibitions set forth in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section apply this general standard, but are not intended to be exclusive or to limit the application of this section.

Various members of the Trump administration violated such provisions.

Business Insider – Trump posts photo of himself grinning alongside Goya products in the Oval Office, as critics accuse Ivanka Trump of violating ethics rules for promoting the company’s beans
Politico – Struggling with Latinos, Trump hypes Goya food fight
The Washington Post – Ivanka Trump posts photo holding Goya beans, draws criticism for using her position to promote a product
Cornell University Legal Information Institute – 5 CFR § 2635.702 – Use of public office for private gain.

bragged about completing a cognitive test?

After taking the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, or MoCA, Trump claimed that his doctors were “very surprised” at the results of his test, which he said he “aced.” However, the White House has not released any details about the results of the exam.

In a July 19, 2020 Fox News interview with Chris Wallace, Trump also challenged Biden to take the exam. He said that the questions “get very hard,” and didn’t think Wallace would be able to answer them.

However, the creators of the exam have themselves described it as simple, intended only to test basic cognitive function rather than as any measure of intelligence. The one-page test can be easily found online.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

During the same interview, Trump declined to answer if he would accept the 2020 election results.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment – MoCA Test
The New York Times – Trump Says He ‘Aced’ Cognitive Test, but White House Won’t Release Details
The New York Times – Trump Says He ‘Aced’ a Cognitive Test. What Does That Really Mean?
Market Watch – The doctor behind a cognitive test Trump took says ‘it’s supposed to be easy’
Forbes – Trump Says He Recently ‘Aced’ This Test: What Exactly Does That Mean?
Fox News – Trump challenges Biden to mental exam, says Chris Wallace would not score as high as he did

was portrayed as a superhero in a coloring book sold by his campaign?

With 16 single-sided pages and 4 colored pencils, Trump’s campaign sold coloring books depicting him as a superhero for $20.

Official Trump coloring book for $20.

Other products include a Trump puzzle, “I HEART Trump” straws, children’s Trump/Pence wood trucks and trains, infant one-pieces, wrapping paper featuring Trump’s face, and a collectable Christmas ornament in the shape of a red MAGA hat.

Trump’s official campaign merchandise received renewed attention after a Twitter user pointed out the negative effects of online shopping cart abandonment.

Shop Donald J. Trump – Official Trump Coloring Book
Click 2 Houston – TikTok users test the negative side effects of shopping cart abandonment on Trump’s online store

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