Recent Posts
Trump Claim:
Trump: “We Are 5 And 0, As You Know, In These Special Elections.” According to the Associated Press, “TRUMP: ‘We are 5 and 0, as you know, in these special elections. And I think the Democrats thought it would be a lot different than that. 5-0 is a big — that’s a big margin.’ — Fox News interview aired Friday.” [Associated Press, 6/26/17]
Reality:
Associated Press: “Right Score: 4-1.” According to the Associated Press, “THE FACTS: Wrong score. Right score: 4-1. Republicans won open House seats in Kansas, Georgia, Montana and South Carolina. Democrats held onto a seat in California. Trump’s miscount wasn’t a one-time gaffe. It was also a line that roused supporters in his Iowa speech. ‘So, we’re 5 and 0. We’re 5 and 0,’ he said to applause Wednesday night. ‘Five and 0. Five and 0,’ he said at another point.” [Associated Press, 6/26/17]
Trump Claim:
Trump: “It Looks Like About 45,000 People. You Set A Record Today. You Set A Record.” According to the Washington Post, “19th Boy Scout Jamboree, wow, and to address such a tremendous group. Boy, you have a lot of people here. The press will say it’s about 200 people. It looks like about 45,000 people. You set a record today. You set a record. That’s a great honor, believe me.” [Washington Post, 7/26/17]
Reality:
50,960 Scouts Attended The 1964 Boy Scout Jamboree. According to the Washington Post, “The figure of 45,000 is not official but if so, that would not be a record. The most-attended single-site jamboree was held in 1964, in Valley Forge, Pa., with 50,960 attendees. In 1973, the jamboree was held in two sites, in Idaho and Pennsylvania, for a total of 73,610 attendees. (Those are raw numbers. In terms of percentage of Boy Scouts attending, 2010 holds the record.) At last count, 26,000 Scouts were expected at the 2017 event, suggesting it would fall well short of the record.” [Washington Post, 7/26/17]
Trump Claim:
Trump: “We’ve Signed More Bills — And I’m Talking About Through The Legislature — Than Any President Ever.” According to PolitFact, “Referring to Vice President Mike Pence, who was standing behind him, Trump said: In just a few months and moments, I will say what we’ve done over a short period of time and what we’re going to be doing over the next six months will be incredible. We’ve signed more bills — and I’m talking about through the legislature — than any president ever. For a while, Harry Truman had us, and now I think we have everybody, Mike. I better say ‘think,’ otherwise they’ll give me a Pinocchio — (laughter) — and I don’t like those — I don’t like Pinocchios.” [PolitiFact, 7/20/17]
Reality:
PolitiFact: “The 42 Bills He Had Signed Into Law Through 178 Days In Office Trails The Number Signed By At Least Six Other Presidents At That Point In Their Presidencies.” According to PolitiFact, “Trump said: ‘We’ve signed more bills — and I’m talking about through the legislature — than any president ever.’ The 42 bills he had signed into law through 178 days in office trails the number signed by at least six other presidents at that point in their presidencies. We rate Trump’s statement False.” [PolitiFact, 7/20/17]
Trump Claim:
Trump Said With The Exception Of FDR, There Had Never Been A President “Who’s Passed More Legislation, Who’s Done More Things Than What We’ve Done, Between The Executive Orders And The Job-Killing Regulations That Have Been Terminated.” According to PolitiFact, “Trump saved some of the boasting for himself, making claims that his administration has been one of historic accomplishments. ‘I will say that never has there been a president — with few exceptions; in the case of FDR, he had a major depression to handle — who’s passed more legislation, who’s done more things than what we’ve done, between the executive orders and the job-killing regulations that have been terminated,’ Trump said, later adding, ‘We’ve achieved tremendous success.’” [PolitiFact, 6/13/17]
Reality:
PolitiFact: “Scholars Of The Presidency And Congress Are Unconvinced That Trump’s Legislative And Administrative Output Is Exceptional By Historical Standards.” According to PolitiFact, “In his Cabinet meeting, Trump said that rare is the president ‘who’s passed more legislation, who’s done more things than what we’ve done, between the executive orders and the job-killing regulations that have been terminated.’ Scholars of the presidency and Congress are unconvinced that Trump’s legislative and administrative output is exceptional by historical standards. Trump has signed a relatively large number of bills so far, but comparatively few with significant impact. And while some of his executive orders have made an immediate impact, most have merely expressed his policy preferences or set in motion a process that may, or may not, change policies down the road. We rate the statement Mostly False.” [PolitiFact, 6/13/17]
Trump Claim:
Trump: “The New Rasmussen Poll, One Of The Most Accurate In The 2016 Election, Just Out With A Trump 50% Approval Rating. That’s Higher Than O’s #’S!” According to PolitiFact, “President Donald Trump opened his first Father’s Day as president with a bright-and-early boast about his poll numbers. ‘The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating. That’s higher than O’s #’s!’” [PolitiFact, 6/19/17]
Reality:
PolitiFact: “Other Polling In This Time Frame Shows Approval Ratings For Trump That Are Seven To 11 Percentage Points Below Rasmussen’s Finding. And Contrary To Trump’s Assertion, Obama’s Numbers In The Same Poll At The Same Point In His Presidency Were Higher Than Trump’s Current Results.” According to PolitiFact, “Trump said, ‘The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating.That’s higher than O’s #’s!’ There’s a grain of truth here: Rasmussen did put out that result two days before Trump’s tweet, and Rasmussen was closest to the mark among pollsters in its final pre-election survey. However, Trump has engaged in some serious cherry-picking. Other polling in this time frame shows approval ratings for Trump that are seven to 11 percentage points below Rasmussen’s finding. And contrary to Trump’s assertion, Obama’s numbers in the same poll at the same point in his presidency were higher than Trump’s current results. We rate the claim Mostly False.” [PolitiFact, 6/19/17]