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
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’
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
said that the border wall needed to be physically transparent for border control to see through?
He explained, “One of the things with the wall is you need transparency, you have to be able to see through it. In other words, if you can’t see through that wall – so it could be a steel wall with openings, but you have to have openings because you have to see what’s on the other side of the wall.”
In another instance, he said the need for transparent walls was from the possibility of harm from projectiles from the southern side. Trump explained, “as horrible as it sounds, when they throw the large sacks of drugs over, and if you have people on the other side of the wall, you don’t see them–they hit you on the head with 60 pounds of the stuff? It’s over.”
He reiterated the need for a see-through wall during a subsequent press conference, where he noted that it would be “a more powerful wall and a more beautiful wall.”
Business Insider – Trump says his wall along the US-Mexico border will have to be see-through so people don’t get hit with giant sacks of drugs
Business Insider – Trump doubles down on the need for a ‘see-through’ border wall because he wants ‘to be able to see’
USA Today – ‘A WALL is a WALL!’ Trump declares. But his definition has shifted a lot over time
Wired – Let’s Talk About Trump, Border Walls, and Flying Heroin
signed an Executive Order that rolled back Obama-era protections for transgender students?
The Executive Order removed guidelines allowing transgender students to use the public school bathrooms that match their identity. The original order threatened to be withheld for institutions that failed to comply.
The administration later rolled back gender anti-discriminatory measures for healthcare and housing.
The Washington Post – Trump administration rolls back protections for transgender students
The New York Times – Trump Rescinds Rules on Bathrooms for Transgender Students
Reuters – Trump revokes Obama guidelines on transgender bathrooms
said that he fired FBI Director James Comey because of the Russian investigation?
Trump admitted he fired Comey because of the “Russia thing” in an interview with Lester Holt:
“And, in fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said: ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story, it’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.’”
This contradicted the original White House memo that stated Comey was fired because of his handling of the Hillary email investigation. He again backtracked the comments later after claiming that the interview had been “fudged,” though no evidence was offered.
NBC News – Watch Lester Holt’s Extended Interview With President Trump
The Guardian – Donald Trump admits ‘this Russia thing’ part of reasoning for firing Comey
Reuters – Trump seeks to backtrack on 2017 comments on Comey firing
told Russian officials that firing “nut job” FBI Director James Comey would ease pressure from the Russia investigation?
Trump told Russian officials visiting the Oval Office that “I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job…I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.” He also said he was unconcerned with Russian election interference and shared classified intelligence with the Russian officials gathered by Israel, despite Russia’s ally Iran being Israel’s longtime enemy.
The New York Times – Trump Told Russians That Firing ‘Nut Job’ Comey Eased Pressure From Investigation
Vanity Fair – Exclusive: What Trump really told Kislyak after Comey was canned
The Washington Post – Trump told Russian officials in 2017 he wasn’t concerned about Moscow’s interference in U.S. election
