At a 2017 Phoenix rally, Trump championed “clean coal,” though he seemed unclear as to what it was.
We’ve ended the war on beautiful, clean coal, and it’s just been announced that a second brand new coal mine where they’re going to take out clean coal – meaning they’re taking out coal, they’re going to clean it – is opening in the state of Pennsylvania.
“Clean coal” has nothing to do with the mining and extraction process. It refers to various complex technologies used to mitigate the carbon emissions that arise from burning coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. Championing coal was a core component of Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Trump at a rally in West Virginia. Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images
Because of the cost associated with developing and implementing such technologies, the term “clean coal” has been derided by critics as a fabrication. The Sierra Club has long maintained that “clean coal” is an oxymoron, and that there is no way to “clean” coal to any substantive degree that would be superior to alternative forms of energy.
Despite being a climate change denier, in 2017, the CEO of the United States’ largest coal company agreed.
Murray Energy Corp. CEO Robert Murray explained, “Carbon capture and sequestration does not work. It’s a pseudonym for ‘no coal.’ It is neither practical nor economic, carbon capture and sequestration. It is just cover for the politicians, both Republicans and Democrats that say, ‘Look what I did for coal,’ knowing all the time that it doesn’t help coal at all.”
At a June 20, 2020 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Trump said he asked officials to slow their testing for COVID-19.
When you do testing to that extent, you’re going to find more people, you’re going to find more cases. So I said to my people slow the testing down, please. They test and they test. We had tests and people don’t know what’s going on. We got tests, we got another one over here. The young man’s 10-years-old. He’s got the sniffles. He’ll recover in about 15 minutes. That’s a case, add him to it. That’s okay. That’s a case.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany responded to questions saying, “any suggestion that testing has been curtailed is not rooted in fact.” and that Trump’s remark “was a comment that he made in jest.”
In a subsequent interview, when asked if the remark was true, Trump failed to answer the question.
TRUMP: If we did slow it down, we wouldn’t show nearly as many cases. You’re showing people that are asymptomatic, you’re showing people that have very little problem, you’re showing young people that don’t have a problem. But we’re doing so much testing, 25 million tests.
ST. GEORGE: But did you ask to slow it down?
TRUMP: Uhh, if it did slow down, frankly, I think we’re way ahead of ourselves, if you want to know the truth. We’ve done too good a job, because every time we go up – with 25 million tests, you’re going to find more people. So then they say, ‘oh we have more cases in the United States.’ The reason we have more cases is because we do more testing than any other country by far.
VIDEO: Just asked President Trump if he actually ordered testing to be slowed down. He said in his Saturday speech he did. He didn't answer the direct question. pic.twitter.com/aDKGu6F2Ok
Though administration officials said Trump was likely joking, when asked if this was the case four days after his original remark, Trump replied, “I don’t kid. Let me just tell you. Let me make it clear.”
On the day of the Tulsa rally when Trump made the original remark, the United States had suffered 192,180 deaths, over twice all the Americans lost in wars from Vietnam to the modern day combined.
In February 2016 during a Las Vegas rally, Trump mocked protesters as they were ejected, and boasted of how he would like to “punch them in the face” while reminiscing of past times when they would’ve had to be “carried out in a stretcher.”
I love the old days, you know. You what I hate, there’s a guy, totally disruptive, throwing punches, we’re not allowed to punch back anymore. I love the old days. You know what they used to do in the old days for guys like that in a place like this? They’d be carried out in a stretcher, folks. That’s true.
You know I love our police, I really respect our police, and they’re not getting enough, they’re not, but, honestly, I hate to see that. Here’s a a guy throwing punches nasty as hell, screaming at everything else when and we’re talking, and he’s walking out and we’re not allowed, you know, the guards are very gentle with him. Like big high-fives, smiling, laughing.
Like to punch him in the face, I’ll tell ya.
Though Trump claimed multiple times that the protester in question was throwing punches of his own, there is no evidence to support it. A security officer present, who asked to remain anonymous, told Politico that Trump “was just over-exaggerating.”
That same month, Trump promised to pay the legal fees for anyone who would “knock the crap out of” protesters, which he later reneged on when a supporter assaulted a protester.
As peaceful protesters were removed from a rally in St. Louis, Missouri, candidate Trump complained about how they were being peacefully ejected, lamenting how there used to be consequences for protest.
Part of the problem and part of the reason it takes so long [to kick them out] is nobody wants to hurt each other anymore. There used to be consequences. There are none anymore.
These people are so bad for our country. You have no idea folks, you have no idea.
The month prior, Trump promised to pay the legal fees for anyone who would “knock the crap out of” protesters, which he later reneged on when a supporter assaulted a protester.
In 2016, candidate Trump promised to pay the legal fees for anyone who would “knock the crap” out of protesters throwing tomatoes. When one of his supporters assaulted a peaceful protester, Trump backtracked, claiming he never made the promise.
If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. Okay, just knock the hell – I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees, I promise. I promise.
A week prior at an Iowa rally, a protester had thrown a tomato at Trump, which missed:
Soon after Trump promised to pay legal fees, John McGraw, 78, struck nonviolent protester Rakeem Jones at a North Carolina rally.
Rakeem Jones and John McGraw. Photos by Liz Condo for The Washington Post
Immediately after, an Inside Edition reporter asked McGraw about the act. He replied,
You bet I liked it. Knocking the hell out of that big mouth. We don’t know who he is, but we know he;s not acting like an American….yes we deserved it. The next time we see him, we might have to kill him. We don’t know who he is. He might be with a terrorist organization.
McGraw was charged with assault and battery, and called for Trump to own up to his word and pay his legal fees. Trump first said he “instructed my people to look into” the matter during an appearance on Meet the Press, but then later that same week on Good Morning America said,
Somebody asked me the question. And I hadn’t even seen it. So I never said I was going to pay for fees…I don’t condone violence at all. I looked and I watched and I’m going to make a decision, but I certainly don’t condone violence.
9 months after the incident, McGraw pleaded no content in court to assault and disorderly conduct charges. He was sentenced to a suspended 30-day jail sentence and a year on unsupervised probation.
McGraw shook hands with Jones in court, offering an apology which Jones accepted with an embrace.
On February 28, 2020, Trump claimed at a South Carolina rally that COVID-19 was being politicized by Democrats, it being their “new hoax.” On that day, the US had 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Now the Democrats are politicizing the coranavirus. You know that, right? Coronavirus. They’re politicizing it. We did one of the great jobs, you see. How’s President Trump doing, they go, ‘oh not good, not good.’ They have no clue. They don’t have any clue… This is their new hoax.
Trump addressed his handling of the virus during the rally, and had made mention of it during his State of the Union address earlier in the month. His claim of a hoax was referring to criticisms about his administration’s handling of the virus rather than the virus itself.
About two months later, Trump later claimed that he said no such thing, and clarified that it was “Do Nothing Democrats” and the “Mainstream Media” that was the hoax.
I never said the pandemic was a Hoax! Who would say such a thing? I said that the Do Nothing Democrats, together with their Mainstream Media partners, are the Hoax. They have been called out & embarrassed on this, even admitting they were wrong, but continue to spread the lie!
At an Alabama rally on September 23, 2017, Trump explained how he wanted to see NFL players fired for protesting the US flag and national anthem.
Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when someone disrespects our flag to say, ‘get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He’s fired. He’s fired!
Trump’s remarks came after dozens of players across the regular and preseasons took a knee during the national anthem. They had joined Colin Kaepernick in protest the season prior, who was not on an NFL roster at the time of Trump’s remarks.
Kaepernick explained that the reason for his protest was because he was “not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” He was advised to take a knee by NFL player and former US Army Green Beret Nate Boyer, who considered it a form of protest most respectful to other service members.
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Trump praised a later NFL ban on kneeling players, suggesting such protests were un-American:
You have to stand proudly for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there, maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.
The timeline below includes Trump’s remarks alongside US cases and other major events. COVID-19 case numbers for this post are taken from https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/, and there may be a lag between Trump’s statements and the day’s reported numbers.
Dec. 31 – World Health Organization first alerted to the existence of a new respiratory virus in China.
Jan. 5 – WHO publishes first Disease Outbreak News for COVID-19.
Jan. 8 – CDC issues first travel advisory, “alerting clinicians on January 8, 2020, to be on the look-out for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China.”
Jan. 9 – Trump holds Ohio rally.
Jan. 12 – China shares genetic sequence of COVID-19.
Jan. 14 – WHO says evidence of human-to-human transmission is inconclusive. Trump holds Wisconsin rally.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China🇨🇳. pic.twitter.com/Fnl5P877VG
Jan. 18 – Trump receives a briefing from Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who said the President viewed him as “alarmist.” The briefing was by phone, as Trump was at Mar-a-Lago golfing for the weekend.
Jan. 19 – Trump golfs.
Jan. 21 – First reported case in the United States.
Jan. 22 – 1 case. WHO declares evidence of person to person transmission.
“We have it totally under control. … It’s going to be just fine.”
Jan. 23 – WHO issues global advisory.
WHO’s risk assessment is that the outbreak is a very high risk in China, and a high risk regionally and globally…We know that there is human-to-human transmission in China, but for now it appears limited to family groups and health workers caring for infected patients. At this time, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission outside China, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
Jan. 24 – 2 cases.
China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!
Jan. 30 – 7 cases. First person-to-person transmission confirmed by CDC, indicating COVID-19 had been freely spreading for several days, possibly weeks. Trump holds Iowa rally.
“We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five. And those people are all recuperating successfully. But we’re working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it’s going to have a very good ending for it. So that I can assure you.”
Working closely with China and others on Coronavirus outbreak. Only 5 people in U.S., all in good recovery.
Jan. 31 – 8 cases. China travel ban issued; US citizens and legal residents are exempt. HHS Secretary Azar declares public health crisis. There are 11,950 confirmed cases worldwide, 156 of which are outside of China spanning 19 nations.
Feb 1. – 8 cases. Trump golfs.
Feb 2. – 11 cases. China travel ban goes into effect.
Well, we pretty much shut it down coming in from China. We have a tremendous relationship with China, which is a very positive thing.
Feb. 5 – 11 cases. Trump’s impeachment trial ends as the Senate votes not to convict.
Feb. 7 – 11 cases. In tapes revealed in September 2020, Trump tells Bob Woodward about the severity of the virus.
It goes through air, Bob. That’s always tougher than the touch. The touch, you don’t have to touch things, right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed. And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus…This is more deadly. This is 5% versus 1%, and less than 1%. So this is deadly stuff.
Feb. 10 – 12 cases. Trump holds New Hampshire rally.
Now, the virus that we’re talking about having to do — you know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat — as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April. We’re in great shape though.
The virus, they’re working hard. Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.
Feb. 15 – 15 cases. Trump golfs.
Feb. 19 – 15 cases. Trump holds Arizona rally.
Feb. 20 – 15 cases. Trump holds Colorado rally.
Feb. 21 – 35 cases. Trump holds Nevada rally.
Feb. 24 – 53 cases. “CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart,” Trump will halt funding to the World Health Organization within two months.
The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!
Cryin’ Chuck Schumer is complaining, for publicity purposes only, that I should be asking for more money than $2.5 Billion to prepare for Coronavirus. If I asked for more he would say it is too much. He didn’t like my early travel closings. I was right. He is incompetent!
And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.
Low Ratings Fake News MSDNC (Comcast) & @CNN are doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus look as bad as possible, including panicking markets, if possible. Likewise their incompetent Do Nothing Democrat comrades are all talk, no action. USA in great shape! @CDCgov…..
“Anti-Trump Network @CNN doing whatever it can to stoke a national Coronavirus panic. The far left Network pretty much ignoring anyone who they interview who doesn’t blame President Trump.” @trish_regan@FoxNews Media refuses to discuss the great job our professionals are doing!
Feb. 28 – 63 cases. Trump holds South Carolina rally.
Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus…they are politicizing it. We did one of the great jobs, you see…this is their new hoax.
35,000 people on average die each year from the flu. Did anyone know that? 35,000, that’s a lot of people. It could go to 100,000, it could be 27,000. They say usually a minimum of 27, goes up to 100,000 people a year die. And so far we have lost nobody to coronavirus in the United States. Nobody. And it doesn’t mean we won’t and we are totally prepared. It doesn’t mean we won’t, but think of it. You hear 35 and 40,000 people and we’ve lost nobody and you wonder the press is in hysteria mode.
It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.
Feb. 29 – 68 cases. First American death.
I’ve gotten to know these professionals. They’re incredible. And everything is under control. I mean, they’re very, very cool. They’ve done it, and they’ve done it well. Everything is really under control.
Mar. 2 – 100 cases, 6 deaths.
We had a great meeting today with a lot of the great companies and they’re going to have vaccines, I think relatively soon.
Mar. 5 – 221 cases, 12 deaths.
Gallup just gave us the highest rating ever for the way we are handling the CoronaVirus situation. The April 2009-10 Swine Flu, where nearly 13,000 people died in the U.S., was poorly handled. Ask MSDNC & lightweight Washington failure @RonaldKlain, who the President was then?
Mar. 6 – 319 cases, 15 deaths. Global cases surpass 100,000. Trump signs $8.3 billion funding bill for research.
Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. They’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful.
No, I’m not concerned at all. No, we’ve done a great job with it. … [Holding rallies] doesn’t bother me at all and it doesn’t bother them at all.
It’s an unforeseen problem, what a problem, came out of nowhere, but we’re taking care of it.
Mar. 7 – 435 cases, 19 deaths. Trump golfs.
Mar. 8 – 541 cases, 22 deaths. Trump golfs.
Mar. 9 – 704 cases, 26 deaths.
The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, “The risk is low to the average American.”
So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!
We’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.
Mar. 11 – 1,301 cases, 38 deaths. WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic. Trump extends travel ban to most of Europe. The bans still do not apply to US citizens and legal residents.
Our team is the best anywhere in the world…and taking early intense action, we have seen dramatically fewer cases of the virus in the United States than are now present in Europe.
Mar. 13 – 2,284 cases, 48 deaths. Trump declares a national emergency.
I don’t take responsibility at all…
To this point, and because we have had a very strong border policy, we have had 40 deaths related to CoronaVirus. If we had weak or open borders, that number would be many times higher!
Mar. 14 – 2,931 cases, 58 deaths. First widespread screenings at airports leads to mass confusion and several-hour wait times in crowded terminals.
This is unacceptable. The reactionary, poorly planned travel ban has left thousands of travelers at ORD forced into even greater health risk. @realdonaldtrump and @CBP: no one has time for your incompetence. Fully staff our airport right now, and stop putting Americans in danger. https://t.co/gswIaHwelx
QAnon is a series of conspiracy theories centered around an anonymous figure, “Q,” who claimed to be a senior government official that has provided cryptic messages about the Trump administration and its enemies. One of its central claims is that Trump had secretly been working to remove a cabal of Democratic pedophiles from government, which shares likeness to the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy. Many of its assertions have been proven to be false, and the FBI has determined that it could pose a domestic terrorism threat. Nevertheless, Trump and his campaign have repeatedly lent credibility to QAnon by featuring its followers on Twitter and at rallies.
Into 2020, Trump refused to condemn or disavow the conspiracy theory, saying he didn’t know much about it except that believers supported him.
Q-Anon has been linked to Russian organizations working to amplify disinformation.
![President Donald Trump holds up a Trump Digs Coal sign as he arrives to speak during a Make America Great Again Rally at Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, West Virginia in August.](https://i0.wp.com/api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/donald-trump-coal-robert-murray.jpeg?resize=599%2C391&ssl=1 "President Donald Trump holds up a "Trump Digs Coal" sign as he arrives to speak during a Make America Great Again Rally at Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, West Virginia in August.")
