accused Joe Scarborough of murder?

Trump first tweeted the claim in 2017 about Lori Klausutis, who worked in Scarborough’s Fort Walton Beach congressional office. She was found dead in the office in 2001. Scarborough served in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001 as a Republican for the 1st district of Florida.

File:Lori Klausutis.png
Lori Klausutis

The coroner discovered an undiagnosed heart condition and reported that Klausutis passed out and hit her head as she fell. He said she was not struck by another person. Scarborough was in Washington, DC at the time of her death.

At the time of Trump’s comments, Scarborough was host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe alongside wife and co-host Mika Brzezinski, who was also personally targeted by Trump for “bleeding badly from a face-lift.”

Trump renewed attacks in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time of the May 4 tweet, nearly 70,000 Americans had died of COVID-19. At the time of his May 12 tweet, it had reached over 80,000.

Scarborough responded on his show, in which he called the comments “extraordinarily cruel” and likened the claims to the Seth Rich conspiracy theories.

AP News – AP FACT CHECK: Scarborough staffer death not a “mystery”
Politifact – PolitiFact: Donald Trump’s Pants on Fire ‘unsolved mystery’ attack on Joe Scarborough
Politico – Trump promotes conspiracy theory accusing MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough of murder
The Hill – Trump raises conspiracy theory to attack MSNBC’s Scarborough
Wikipedia – Joe Scarborough
Worldometer – Coronavirus, United States

was named as a co-conspirator in campaign finance felonies by Michael Cohen?

Michael Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer and fixer for over a decade. Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts of campaign finance violations and tax evasion regarding a payment of $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election, with whom Trump had an affair.

Michael Cohen headshot.jpg
Michael Cohen / Wikipedia

Expenditures in defense of a candidate’s political outcome can be considered campaign contributions, subject to laws that bar corporate donations and establish donation limits. After acting as an intermediary for the payment to Stormy Daniels, Cohen filed fake invoices to Trump’s company.

As part of Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, Cohen’s home and office were raided in April 2018 by the FBI. In August 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to 8 counts of tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations. He later pleaded guilty to an additional count of lying to a Senate and House Intelligence Committees regarding the proposed Trump Hotel Moscow.

In February 2019, Cohen asserted that all he had done was at Trump’s direction. While his testimony was colored by his previous lie to Congress, Cohen claimed that he then only sought to tell the truth as he was no longer working to defend the President.

Last fall I pled guilty in federal court to felonies for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in coordination with Individual Number 1. And for the record, Individual Number 1 is President Donald J. Trump.

Cohen’s attorney, Lanny J. Davis, noted that Cohen had committed his felonies at the request of Trump to influence the election: “He stood up and testified under oath that Donald Trump directed him to commit a crime by making payments to two women for the principal purpose of influencing an election. If those payments were a crime for Michael Cohen, then why wouldn’t they be a crime for Donald Trump?”

Trump said he never directed Cohen to do anything illegal.

Rudy Giuliani, who was added to Trump’s legal team, admitted in a Fox News interview that Trump repaid the money to Cohen. However, he defended it by saying it wasn’t campaign money, and so there was no campaign finance law violation on Trump’s behalf. He also indicated that Trump was aware of the payment from the beginning, though Trump had repeatedly denied any knowledge of Stormy Daniels or the $130,000 in hush money.

It’s not campaign money. No campaign finance violations…[it was] funneled through a law firm, and the President repaid it.

…everybody was nervous about this from the very beginning. I wasn’t. I knew how much money Donald Trump put into that campaign. I said $130,000? You’re gonna do a couple checks for $130,000. When I heard Cohen’s retainer of $35,000, when he was doing no work for the President, I said that’s how he’s repaying, that’s how, how he’s repaying it. With a little profit and a little margin for paying taxes for Michael.

[Trump] didn’t know about the specifics of it.

For pleading guilty to the following counts, Cohen was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison, along with fines, asset forfeiture, and disbarment:

  • 5 counts of tax evasion
  • 1 count of making false statements to a financial institution
  • 1 count of willfully causing an unlawful corporate contribution
  • 1 count of making an excessive campaign contribution at the request of a candidate or campaign
  • 1 count of making false statements to a congressional committee

AP News – Cohen pleads guilty, implicates Trump in hush-money scheme
The New York Times – Prosecutors Say Trump Directed Illegal Payments During Campaign
The New York Times – Michael Cohen Says He Arranged Payments to Women at Trump’s Direction
The New York Times – Trump Improvises New Defense in Hush Money Payments

Wikipedia – Michael Cohen (lawyer)

appointed Michael Flynn as National Security Advisor despite warnings of his foreign connections?

Michael Flynn is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General who served as National Security Advisor for Trump from January to February 2017.

Retired United States Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn / Wikipedia

As part of the wider Mueller probe into Russian election interference, a phone call from 2016 was unearthed between Flynn and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. After speaking with Trump’s Presidential Transition Team, Flynn had reached out to Kislyak after Obama’s passing of Russian sanctions as punishment for 2016 election interference. Flynn urged Russia to refrain from retaliatory measures, as Trump was already President-elect and could eventually undo the sanctions. The following day, the Russian government announced they would not retaliate. Trump tweeted praise for the decision:

In his recounting of the phone call to the FBI, Flynn denied anything substantive was discussed, including sanctions. Nonetheless, Trump asked Flynn for his resignation in February 2017. He had served as National Security Advisor for a record 24 days.

Trump still defended Flynn, claiming that his lies to the FBI were not about anything illegal, and so he should not be prosecuted for them.

Flynn was charged with perjury for his false explanation to the FBI, and in December 2017, pleaded guilty.

Flynn had also failed to register as a foreign agent for lobbying work he had done on behalf of the Turkish government. Through his Flynn Intel Group Inc, an organization that provides intelligence services to businesses and governments, Flynn worked to defend Turkish hardliner President Recep Erdoğan from anti-government elements. He also failed to disclose income from Russian companies in his financial disclosure forms.

Trump had been warned about Flynn’s conflicts of interest at least 6 separate times, including by Obama during the post-election transition. Obama had himself fired Flynn in 2014.

Despite having pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, sentencing was deferred multiple times until May 7, 2020, when the Justice Department announced that it would be dropping all charges. The explanation provided in the motion to dismiss was that “Mr. Flynn’s statements were never ‘material’ to any FBI investigation.”

Trump defended the move, claiming that Flynn, and by extension himself, had been unfairly targeted by the Obama administration:

He is an innocent man. He is a great gentleman. He was targeted by the Obama administration and he was targeted in order to try and take down a president and what they’ve done is a disgrace and I hope a big price is going to be paid. A big price should be paid. There’s never been anything like this in the history of our country. What they did, the Obama administration did, is unprecedented, never happened, a thing like this has never happened before in the history of our country. And I hope a lot of people are going to pay a big price, because they’re dishonest crooked people, and they’re scum. I say it a lot, they’re scum. …Treason, it’s treason.

Throughout Flynn’s legal troubles, Trump has repeatedly defended him over Twitter:

Business Insider – Trump officials were warned about Mike Flynn at least 6 separate times before removing him
NPR – Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty To Lying To FBI
The New York Times – Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to the F.B.I. and Will Cooperate With Russia Inquiry
Axios – Here’s what Michael Flynn has admitted
The Hill – Turkey and Michael Flynn: Five things to know
The New York Times – Michael Flynn Failed to Disclose Income From Russia-Linked Entities
AP News – Justice Department dropping Flynn’s Trump-Russia case
Wikipedia – Michael Flynn

 

attacked Obama over his handling of Ebola?

For four months, Trump railed against Obama’s handling of Ebola during the 2014 crisis. Trump demanded that all travel from Western Africa be immediately halted, promising that the crisis will “ONLY GET WORSE.” Saying that the government’s handling of the crisis was “almost like he’s saying F-you to U.S. public,” he warned about how “All the governors are already backing off of the Ebola quarantines.”

There were 11 total American cases of Ebola, resulting in 2 deaths. Neither of those who died contracted Ebola from within the United States. The CDC announced the first diagnosis September 30, 2014, and the last infected person was released from the hospital November 11.

Ebola outbreak in the United States / Wikipedia

During his Presidency, Trump repeatedly downplayed the severity of COVID-19. His administration implemented limited travel bans that only extended to non-US citizens and residents, failed to implement travel checks and tracing for the disease, and continually pushed for states to reopen their economies. Trump claimed he had total authority over governors to make policy in their states.

Fox News also drew attention for the discrepancy between their reporting on the handling of Ebola under Obama and COVID-19 under Trump.

An incomplete list of Trump’s tweets about Obama’s handling of Ebola follows:

Wikipedia – Ebola virus cases in the United States
Trump Twitter Archive

said the economy does better under Democrat leadership?

In a 2004 interview, Trump said he identified more with Democrats because he believed that the economy does better under their leadership.

I’ve been around for a long time and it just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats than the Republicans.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump blamed Obama, Democratic presidential candidates, and the federal reserve for economic problems during his tenure.

I think the financial markets are very upset when they look at the Democrat candidates on that stage making fools out of themselves.

The Fed was not good, as far as I’m concerned, and that was a big blip that should not have taken place, should not have happened…that was just killer when they raised the rate, it was just a big mistake, and they admit to it.

Forbes -Trump Is Right About One Thing: ‘The Economy Does Better Under The Democrats’
Politifact – Does the economy always do better under Democratic presidents? 

suggested using water tankers to put out the Notre-Dame fire?

On April 15, 2019, the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris caught fire during a restoration effort. Its spire, originally built in the 13th century and recreated in the 19th century, toppled through the roof. The cathedral, a national icon, is visited by 12 million people annually.

notre dame before and after
Brian Kinney/Shutterstock, Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP

Echoing similarly imprudent suggestions like nuking hurricanes, raking leaves to prevent forest fires, and using light and disinfectant to combat COVID-19, Trump proposed dropping tankers of water to douse the fire.

In response, the French national civil security force explained that such an action could destroy the entire cathedral.

In later remarks, Trump lamented the damage with sincerity:

It’s one of the great treasures of the world…That is a part of our growing up, it’s a part of our culture, it’s a part of our lives. That’s a truly great cathedral. I’ve been there and I’ve seen it, and there’s no cathedral, I think I can probably say there’s no cathedral in the world like it. It’s a terrible scene.

French President Macron called for the restoration of the cathedral to be completed within five years, though efforts were halted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and concerns linger about the remaining structure’s integrity.

NBC News – Notre Dame fire: What was damaged
Politico – Trump suggests deploying flying water tankers for ‘horrible’ fire at Notre Dame Cathedral
Los Angeles Times – Trump tweets advice for saving Notre Dame; Paris fire officials say it’s a terrible idea
Wikipedia – Spire of Notre-Dame de Paris
Wikipedia – Notre-Dame de Paris

dismissed COVID-19 across another month? (timeline pt. 2)

As the COVID-19 pandemic began, Trump went from “It’s going to be just fine” to “I’ve felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic” in 56 days. As with that first timeline, 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.

Mar. 18 – 10,091 total US cases, 171 deaths.

It’s not racist at all. No. Not at all. It comes from China. That’s why. It comes from China. I want to be accurate.

Mar. 19 – 14,896 cases, 240 deaths. Trump promotes unproven drug treatments, falsely claiming that it has been approved by the FDA for COVID-19.

And we’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately, and that’s where the FDA has been so great. They – they’ve gone through the approval process. It’s been approved.

Mar. 20 – 20,873 cases, 310 deaths. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo orders all non-essential businesses to keep their workers home. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issues a “stay-at-home” order. Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana, and others follow.

Mar. 21 – 25,969 cases, 376 deaths.

Mar. 22 – 33,745 cases, 512 deaths.

Mar. 23 – 46,433 cases, 693 deaths.

You look at automobile accidents, which are far greater than any numbers we’re talking about. That doesn’t mean we’re going to tell everybody no more driving of cars. So we have to do things to get our country open.

Mar. 24 – 58,021 cases, 962 deaths.

Ultimately the goal is to ease the guidelines…Easter is our timeline, what a great timeline that would be.

Mar. 25 – 71,638 cases, 1,269 deaths. 3.3 million Americans file for unemployment.

Mar. 26 – 89,513 cases, 1,629 deaths. The United States now leads the world in confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Our country has to go back. Our country is based on that. And I think it’s going to happen pretty quickly. A lot of progress is made, but we’ve got to get back to work.

Mar. 27 – 108,537 cases, 2,131 deaths.

You call it a germ, you can call it a flu, you can call it a virus. You know, you can call it many different names. I’m not sure anybody even knows what it is.

Mar. 28 – 127,827 cases, 2,781 deaths.

Mar. 29 – 147,921 cases, 3,283 deaths. Trump brags about TV ratings.

Mar. 30 – 171,640 cases, 3,150 deaths. American deaths from COVID-19 surpass 9/11.

Apr. 1 – 224,651 cases, 6,465 deaths.

Did you know I was number one on Facebook?

Apr. 2 – 255,276 cases, 7,676 deaths. Global cases reaches 1 million. Another 6.6 million Americans file for unemployment.

Apr. 4 – 322,790 cases, 10,537 deaths. More American deaths than those from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) combined.

I may take [hydroxychloroquine]. I’ll have to ask my doctors about that. But I may take it.

Maybe we could allow special, for churches, maybe we could talk about it. Maybe we could allow them, with great separation outside, on Easter Sunday. I don’t know, it’s something we should talk about.

Apr. 6 – 381,262 cases, 13,488 deaths. Trump interjects during a question for Dr. Fauci about hydroxychloroquine.

I answered this 15 times. You don’t have to answer.

Apr. 7 – 415,992 cases, 15,755 deaths. Trump echoes past claims of fraud with mail-in voting.

Mail-in voting is horrible, it’s corrupt…sure I could vote by mail, because I’m allowed to.

Trump falsely claims in a Hannity interview that the US is not experiencing a shortage of beds and ventilators.

The good thing is that the number of beds needed, I think we were right about that. I was right. My group was right.

I just saw on your show and a couple of other people just reported back to me that everyone is in great shape from the standpoint of ventilators, which are very hard, because they’re expensive and they’re big and like — it’s, you know — it’s — and they’re very high-tech.

Apr. 8 – 448,806 cases, 17,966 deaths. Trump threatens to halt WHO funding.

They really called every aspect of it wrong…recently social media said they seem to be very China-centric.

Apr. 9 – 482,724 cases, 20,113 deaths. An additional 6.6 million Americans file for unemployment. The Federal Reserve announces a stimulus of $2,300,000,000,000 ($2.3 trillion).

Apr. 10 – 517,010 cases, 22,394 deaths. Trump administration limits COVID-19 reporting requirements to healthcare industry employers.

This is a very brilliant enemy. You know, it’s a brilliant enemy. They develop drugs like the antibiotics. You see it. Antibiotics used to solve every problem. Now one of the biggest problems the world has is the germ has gotten so brilliant that the antibiotic can’t keep up with it… We’re fighting – not only is it hidden, but it’s very smart, okay? It’s invisible and it’s hidden, but it’s – it’s very smart.

Apr. 11 – 546,923 cases, 24,460 deaths. The United States now leads the world in COVID-19 deaths. Reports surface of Trump asking Dr. Fauci, “Why don’t we let this wash over the country?”

Apr. 12 – 573,092 cases, 26,215 deaths.

Apr. 13 – 600,825 cases, 27,963 deaths. Trump plays video in White House briefing room titled “The media minimized the risk from the start.” He claims total authority over state governors.

Well I have the ultimate authority. President of the United States has the authority to do what the President has the authority to do, which is very powerful.

Trump spars with a reporter over a gap in actions taken February.

You’re so disgraceful. It’s so disgraceful the way you say that…nobody thought we should do it, and when I did it, you know what we did? You know what we did? What do you do when you have no case in the whole United States…zero cases zero deaths on January 17. …we did a lot. Look, look, you know you’re a fake, you know that, your whole network is fake.

Apr. 14 – 629,827 cases, 30,592 deaths. Trump halts US funding to the WHO.

Apr. 16 – 691,619 cases, 35,537 deaths. Another 5.2 million Americans file for unemployment, totaling approximately 22 million. Trump declines to speak out against protests in Michigan and other states against closures and social distancing.

There’s death and there’s problems in staying at home, too. It’s not just isn’t it wonderful to stay at home. They’re having – they’re suffering. This country wasn’t built on that principle, it was built on an exact opposite principle, actually. And I watched in one particular state where they were, they want to get back, the want to get back… I think they listen to me, they seem to be protesters that like me, and respect this opinion, and my opinion is the same as all the governors. They all want to open.

Apr. 17 – 724,900 cases, 38,134 deaths. Trump tweets in response to reports of protests against state closures, even citing the 2nd Amendment, though he has suggested taking guns without due process.

The timeline is continued here.

Worldometer – Coronavirus, United States
Politico – Trump on ‘Chinese virus’ label: ‘It’s not racist at all’
AP News – AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsely claims drug approval for virus
Whitehouse.gov – Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing
Politifact – Timeline: How Donald Trump responded to the coronavirus pandemic
NPR – 3.3 Million File Unemployment Claims, Shattering Records
Politico – Trump triggers Defense Production Act for the first time
USA Today – Another 6.6M Americans file for unemployment benefits as layoffs show no letup
Department of Defense – CASUALTY STATUS as of 10 a.m. EDT April 13, 2020
The New York Times – President Trump’s Prime-Time Pandemic
The Wall Street Journal – U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Passes Italy, Becoming World’s Highest
CNN – The 24 most wildly irresponsible lines from Donald Trump’s latest interview with Sean Hannity
Forbes – The Fed Will Pump Another $2.3 Trillion Into The Economy. Here’s Why This Time Is Different
Occupational Safety and Health Administration – Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
The Washington Post – Trump administration has many task forces — but still no plan for beating covid-19
Politico – Trump halts funding to World Health Organization
Fortune – 22 million have lost their jobs over the past month—real unemployment rate likely nearing 18%
Business Insider – Fox News host defended anti-lockdown protesters carrying Confederate flags and falsely accused Michigan’s governor of calling them Nazis

said the Pope would wish Trump were President when ISIS attacks the Vatican?

During a visit to Mexico, Pope Francis said in 2016 of Trump,

A person who thinks only about building walls, where they may be, not not building bridges, is not a Christian. This is not in the gospel. As far as what you said about whether to vote or not vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I only say that this man is not a Christian if he has said things like that.

In a retort, Trump said that the Pope was being manipulated by the Mexican government. He replied at a rally,

If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS’s ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been President because this would not have happened.

Trump has repeatedly referred to himself as a Christian, though he was unable to recite a single verse from the Bible. He also had fairly positive views of Pope Francis upon the pope’s election.

In another tweet, Trump linked the humbleness of the Pope to his own. Trump also bragged about his own humility during the 2016 campaign.

Pope Francis’ views of Trump continued to be more mixed.

Trump visits the Pope at the Vatican, May 24, 2017. EVAN VUCCI/AFP/Getty Images

During a 2017 visit to the Vatican that was described as “stiff,” Pope Francis gifted Trump with copies of his writings, including an encyclical on climate change. Trump has derided climate change as a Chinese hoax.

Pope Francis also criticized Trump’s border and family separation policy, comparing it to the Berlin Wall.

It falls into the greatest cruelty. To defend what? The territory, or the economy of the country, or who knows what? We already know one wall, the Berlin Wall that brought us enough headaches and enough suffering…. But it seems that man does what animals do not do, doesn’t it? Man is the only animal that falls twice into the same hole.

On Trump’s move to repeal DACA, the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Pope Francis said,

The president of the United States presents himself as pro-life and if he is a good pro-lifer, he understands that family is the cradle of life and its unity must be protected.

The Hill – Pope Francis appears to knock Trump with appeal to build bridges instead of walls
NPR – ‘He Is Something’: Trump Visits Pope Francis At The Vatican
America Magazine – Pope Francis calls Trump’s border policy ‘cruel,’ compares southern barriers to Berlin Wall

CNN – Pope Francis says rescinding DACA is not ‘pro-life’

dismissed COVID-19 across two months? (timeline pt. 1)

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. 3CDC Director Robert Redfield receives a call from a counterpart in China warning of COVID-19.

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.

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.

Jan. 28 – Trump holds New Jersey rally.

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.”

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 hardLooks like by Aprilyou 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.

Feb. 25 – 57 cases.

Feb. 26 – 60 cases. Pence appointed leader of COVID-19 task force.

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.

Feb. 27 – 60 cases.

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.

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.

Mar. 10 – 994 cases, 30 deaths.

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…

Mar. 14 – 2,931 cases, 58 deaths. First widespread screenings at airports leads to mass confusion and several-hour wait times in crowded terminals.

Mar. 16 – 4,925 cases, 95 deaths. Trump rates his handling a 10/10, echoing his self-rating on the handling of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

I’d rate [our response] a 10.

Mar. 17 – 6,905 cases, 121 deaths.

I’ve felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.

The timeline of events is continued here.

Worldometer – Coronavirus, United States
The Business Insider – Trump reportedly dismissed January coronavirus warnings from Health Secretary Alex Azar as ‘alarmist’
CDC – First Travel-related Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Detected in United States
World Health Organization – Novel Coronavirus(2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 11, as of 31 January 2020
Axios – CDC confirms first U.S. person-to-person coronavirus transmission
The New York Times – Airports Reel as New Coronavirus Screening Goes into Effect
World Health Organization – WHO Timeline – COVID-19
Factcheck.org – Trump’s Statements About the Coronavirus
Politifact – ‘It’s going to disappear’: Trump’s changing tone on coronavirus
Snopes – Did Trump Golf, Hold Rallies After Learning About COVID-19 Threat?
World Health Organization – WHO Director-General’s statement on the advice of the IHR Emergency Committee on Novel Coronavirus

The Washington Post – The U.S. was beset by denial and dysfunction as the coronavirus raged
The New York Times – A Timeline of the Coronavirus Pandemic

 

defended former adviser and convicted felon Roger Stone?

Roger Stone is a longtime Republican strategist who has served as campaign adviser for Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Trump. He pushed several conspiracy theories during the campaign, including birtherism and the murder of Seth Rich by Democratic operatives. He was arrested during the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, which Trump referred to as an “attempted coup.”

Stone was investigated for his connections to Wikileaks, which disseminated emails from Hillary Clinton that had been hacked by Russian intelligence. Trump famously called on Russia to hack Clinton’s emails.

On November 15, 2019, Stone was convicted of one count of obstruction, one count of witness tampering, and five counts of false statements regarding his testimony to Congress. On February 20, 2020, he was sentenced to 40 months in prison.

During the trial, Stone’s threats to Wikileaks intermediary Randy Credico were unearthed: “you are a rat. A stoolie. You backstab your friends…I am so ready. Let’s get it on. Prepare to die.” Stone’s rocky trial also included a a gag order from the court, which he violated by posting a photo of the judge with a crosshairs in the corner on his Instagram. He later claimed he thought that the crosshairs were a Celtic symbol.

Stone is known for his unorthodox style of dress and back tattoo of Richard Nixon’s face, as well as his self-avowedly dirty political strategies. He paid an operative to infiltrate Democrat George McGovern’s presidential campaign, which was revealed during the Watergate hearings. No stranger to the dissemination of conspiracy theories, he penned a 2013 book in which he suggested that LBJ was responsible for John F. Kennedy’s assassination. He is also the subject of the 2017 Netflix documentary, Get me Roger Stone.

Roger Stone at Trump’s inauguration. stoneonstyle/Twitter
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Roger Stone’s back tattoo alongside Alex Jones. ellefs0n/Twitter

Over the course of Stone’s trial, Trump took to Twitter in Stone’s defense multiple times, including upon his conviction and his sentencing.

Even though prosecutors recommended nine years of prison time, the Justice Department intervened with their own recommendation of a drastically shorter sentencing. Four federal prosecutors withdrew from the case in protest. Stone was ultimately sentenced to 40 months in prison.

On the day of the sentencing, Trump spoke at length in Stone’s defense, attacking his detractors as liars and leakers.

Trump ultimately commuted Stone’s sentence altogether.

The Atlantic – Roger Stone’s Secret Messages with WikiLeaks
The New York Times – Prosecutors Quit Roger Stone Case After Justice Dept. Intervenes on Sentencing

NPR – Prosecutors Quit Roger Stone Case After DOJ Seeks Less Prison Time For Trump Ally
Politico – Roger Stone sentenced to over 3 years in prison
The Week – 5 awkward excuses Roger Stone gave for his threatening Instagram photo

San Francisco Gate – Why Roger Stone loved Nixon enough to get a back tattoo of the president’s face
Wikipedia – Roger Stone
Wikipedia – 2016 Democratic National Committee email leak

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