Trump Rages Against Accurate Washington Post Fact Check of His False Immigration Claims
President Donald Trump ripped the Washington Post on Friday, calling the paper “crazed and deranged” for an accurate fact check of his false claims about apprehensions of immigrants at Mexico’s southern border.
“The Crazed and Dishonest Washington Post again purposely got it wrong,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Mexico, for the first time in decades, is meaningfully apprehending illegals at THEIR Southern Border, before the long march up to the U.S. This is great and the way it should be.”
The Crazed and Dishonest Washington Post again purposely got it wrong. Mexico, for the first time in decades, is meaningfully apprehending illegals at THEIR Southern Border, before the long march up to the U.S. This is great and the way it should be. The big flow will stop…….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2019
The president’s attack is in response to a Washington Post story calling his claim that Mexico has only this week started apprehending Central American migrants at its southern border “totally false.”
The Washington Post‘s fact checker Glenn Kessler was quick on the draw, linking to the story on Twitter and pointing out the data on apprehensions going back to 2011.
Look at the charts, bolder colors indicate southern border apprehensions. “Fifty-three percent (472,249) happened at the four Mexican states that border Central America: Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo and Tabasco” between 2011 and Feb. –> https://t.co/WNmEvNzy1M https://t.co/KHgO8X3JjK
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) April 5, 2019
In subsequent tweets, Trump moved on from the Post and threatened to slap tariffs on cars made in Mexico.
“If that doesn’t work, which it will, I will close the Border,” he said.
….However, if for any reason Mexico stops apprehending and bringing the illegals back to where they came from, the U.S. will be forced to Tariff at 25% all cars made in Mexico and shipped over the Border to us. If that doesn’t work, which it will, I will close the Border…….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2019
He concluded the spree with another threat: “an economic penalty” for drug trafficking from Mexico to the United States.
….This will supersede USMCA. Likewise I am looking at an economic penalty for the 500 Billion Dollars in illegal DRUGS that are shipped and smuggled through Mexico and across our Southern Border. Over 100,00 Americans die each year, sooo many families destroyed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2019
[Photo by Olivier Douliery/Getty Images]
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