The 10 Biggest Media Lies About Donald Trump
By Jim Meyers |
Saturday, 25 Jul 2015
Donald Trump has consistently been out-polling all
announced Republican presidential candidates despite a barrage of lies
in the media about the business mogul.
Here's a look at some of the more prominent untruths the media have reported about Trump:
1. He is not a billionaire. Forbes magazine researchers have placed his worth at $4 billion, while Trump asserts that he is worth $10 billion. A disclosure document recently released by the Federal Election Commission lists 515 different positions and 168 assets and sources of income for Trump.
The assets include 23 that are valued at more than $50 million each. Many items require that he check the box marked "$50 million or more" when they could be worth considerably more, meaning Trump's fortune may be higher than the disclosure suggests.
2. Trump is not a successful businessman. Critics says he inherited a fortune from his family and has declared bankruptcy several times. But Trump's father had a net wealth estimated at between $250 million and $400 million at the time of his death, and he had four surviving children who were heirs, so Trump is responsible for accumulating the great bulk of his fortune. Trump has never personally declared bankruptcy. Some businesses he controlled or licensed his name have, but this is not unusual for a mogul who has owned hundreds of properties and businesses through the years.
Special: Do You Back Trump for President? Vote Here Now
3. He said all Mexicans were rapists. What he said while announcing his candidacy is that illegal immigrants from Mexico are "bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." Trump has made it clear he was not saying all Mexicans are criminals or that all illegal aliens are criminals, but the media have continued to charge that he branded Mexican immigrants as rapists. He has also said he "loves" the Mexican people, but was referring to the Mexican government.
4. Trump said John McCain is not a war hero. The Washington Post reported that Trump said "McCain was not a war hero because he was captured by the North Vietnamese." But Trump immediately modified his statement by saying, four times, that McCain is a war hero, including: "He is a war hero" and "he is a war hero because he was captured."
The Post also did not put Trump's remarks in the context of a feud between Trump and the Arizona senator, who has characterized some Trump supporters as "crazies."
5. Only 2,500 people showed up to hear Trump speak at the Phoenix Convention Center. The Phoenix Business Journal reported that 4,200 people were on hand, and noted, significantly, that "there were scores of Trump backers that did not get into his rally because the room hit fire code capacity." Other independent observers have placed the crowd at over 7,500.
6. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus spoke at length with Trump and asked him to tone down his rhetoric. Trump said that in fact he spoke with Priebus for just 10 minutes and Priebus told him that Trump hit a "nerve, doing well." He said Priebus told him "you can't change your personality and I understand that." Trump said it "was a really nice call, a congratulatory call."
7. Hispanics don't like Trump. A poll by One America News Network in Nevada found that Trump received 31.4 percent support among Hispanics, higher than the 27.7 percent he received overall. The only other candidate to receive double digit support from Hispanics was Scott Walker. with 11.4 percent.
8. Trump lied about his salary from "The Apprentice." MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell claimed that Trump's statement in his federal disclosure document that he made more than $213 million as host of the NBC reality show was a "complete, total lie." Later that same day O'Donnell backed away from the claim, saying "I don't know" how much Trump really earned.
9. Trump was a draft dodger. Pundit Fact, a site powered by PolitiFact.com, looked into the charge and concluded: "To the best of our knowledge, no one has charged Trump with violating the Selective Service law. His student deferments were routine. And unless someone has new information, there is no legal issue with his medical deferment."
10. Americans are outraged by Trump's comments on immigration. According to Rasmussen Reports, 63 percent of Americans want the U.S. to gain control of the border, as Trump has demanded. His strong showing in the polls is further proof of support for his stance.
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Here's a look at some of the more prominent untruths the media have reported about Trump:
1. He is not a billionaire. Forbes magazine researchers have placed his worth at $4 billion, while Trump asserts that he is worth $10 billion. A disclosure document recently released by the Federal Election Commission lists 515 different positions and 168 assets and sources of income for Trump.
The assets include 23 that are valued at more than $50 million each. Many items require that he check the box marked "$50 million or more" when they could be worth considerably more, meaning Trump's fortune may be higher than the disclosure suggests.
2. Trump is not a successful businessman. Critics says he inherited a fortune from his family and has declared bankruptcy several times. But Trump's father had a net wealth estimated at between $250 million and $400 million at the time of his death, and he had four surviving children who were heirs, so Trump is responsible for accumulating the great bulk of his fortune. Trump has never personally declared bankruptcy. Some businesses he controlled or licensed his name have, but this is not unusual for a mogul who has owned hundreds of properties and businesses through the years.
Special: Do You Back Trump for President? Vote Here Now
3. He said all Mexicans were rapists. What he said while announcing his candidacy is that illegal immigrants from Mexico are "bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." Trump has made it clear he was not saying all Mexicans are criminals or that all illegal aliens are criminals, but the media have continued to charge that he branded Mexican immigrants as rapists. He has also said he "loves" the Mexican people, but was referring to the Mexican government.
4. Trump said John McCain is not a war hero. The Washington Post reported that Trump said "McCain was not a war hero because he was captured by the North Vietnamese." But Trump immediately modified his statement by saying, four times, that McCain is a war hero, including: "He is a war hero" and "he is a war hero because he was captured."
The Post also did not put Trump's remarks in the context of a feud between Trump and the Arizona senator, who has characterized some Trump supporters as "crazies."
5. Only 2,500 people showed up to hear Trump speak at the Phoenix Convention Center. The Phoenix Business Journal reported that 4,200 people were on hand, and noted, significantly, that "there were scores of Trump backers that did not get into his rally because the room hit fire code capacity." Other independent observers have placed the crowd at over 7,500.
6. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus spoke at length with Trump and asked him to tone down his rhetoric. Trump said that in fact he spoke with Priebus for just 10 minutes and Priebus told him that Trump hit a "nerve, doing well." He said Priebus told him "you can't change your personality and I understand that." Trump said it "was a really nice call, a congratulatory call."
7. Hispanics don't like Trump. A poll by One America News Network in Nevada found that Trump received 31.4 percent support among Hispanics, higher than the 27.7 percent he received overall. The only other candidate to receive double digit support from Hispanics was Scott Walker. with 11.4 percent.
8. Trump lied about his salary from "The Apprentice." MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell claimed that Trump's statement in his federal disclosure document that he made more than $213 million as host of the NBC reality show was a "complete, total lie." Later that same day O'Donnell backed away from the claim, saying "I don't know" how much Trump really earned.
9. Trump was a draft dodger. Pundit Fact, a site powered by PolitiFact.com, looked into the charge and concluded: "To the best of our knowledge, no one has charged Trump with violating the Selective Service law. His student deferments were routine. And unless someone has new information, there is no legal issue with his medical deferment."
10. Americans are outraged by Trump's comments on immigration. According to Rasmussen Reports, 63 percent of Americans want the U.S. to gain control of the border, as Trump has demanded. His strong showing in the polls is further proof of support for his stance.
