New record: Donald Trump said 25 false things on Saturday
By the Star’s count, Donald Trump said more false things Saturday than on any other day in the campaign, excluding the debates.
Donald Trump said 25 false things Saturday, the most the Star has recorded on any nondebate day in the campaign so far. (Sarah Rice / GETTY IMAGES)
WASHINGTON—Republican presidential candidate had a busy day on Saturday, Oct. 15. He did a rally in New Hampshire, a rally in Maine, and a brief speech at a Republican Hindu Coalition event in New Jersey.
He said 25 false things — a new record in our count. (For nondebate days, that is.) Here’s the list:
1. Falsely said, “The number of murders in our country is the highest it’s been in 45 years. They don’t tell you that.” (The increase in murders between 2014 and 2015, 11 per cent, was the highest in 45 years. But the number of murders was even lower than it was 45 years ago even with more than 100 million more people.)
2. Falsely said, “Remember when, in Massachusetts, I got almost 50 per cent of the vote with 11 people. I got 49.7 per cent of the vote.” (Trump got 49.3 per cent of the vote. Though the names of more than 11 people were on the ballot, he is wrong to suggest he got 50 per cent actually running against 10 others — there were only five still running at the time of the Massachusetts primary.)
3. Falsely said of hacked Clinton-campaign emails: “They show how the Clinton campaign gets the questions for the debates and the answers for the debates prior to the debate. And we still beat her easily in that debate.” (The question Clinton appears to have been provided was for a town hall during the Democratic primary, not a debate against him.)
4. Falsely said the U.S. trade deficit is “massive and getting bigger.” (“Massive” is subjective, but it is objectively false that the deficit is increasing. As of early October, it was down $4.3 billion (U.S.), or 1.3 per cent, from the same period in 2015.)
5. Falsely said of Syrian refugees, “We have no idea who they are, where they come from.” (Refugees to the U.S. are subjected to an extensive screening process.)
6. Falsely said of New Hampshire, “It shows we’re up 1 or 2 points here.” (It is not clear what “it” is, but Clinton leads in every major New Hampshire poll, and by 4 points on average.)
7. Falsely said, “By ‘open borders,’ she means totally unlimited immigration flowing into our country.” (Clinton supports limits on immigration.)
8. Falsely said, “Hillary’s plan includes an open border with the Middle East, meaning generations of radicalism within our shores.” (Clinton is not advocating unrestricted immigration or refugee intake from the Middle East.)
=To Be Continued=