President Donald Trump falsely claimed in a Wednesday night interview that two people were shot in Chicago during former President Obama’s farewell address in the city, The Chicago Tribune reported.
ABC News’ David Muir asked Trump about Chicago in one exchange from the interview, which the Tribune noted was not aired on television Wednesday but which appears in the interview’s full transcript. The President has long panned what he has called “carnage” in American cities, Chicago foremost among them.
“Well, so far they have been unable” to curb the city’s murder rate, Trump said, according to the transcript.
“It’s been going on for years. And I wasn’t President,” he continued. “So, look, when President Obama was there two weeks ago making a speech, very nice speech. Two people were shot and killed during his speech. You can’t have that.”
But that’s simply not true. The Tribune confirmed with the Chicago Police Department that no shootings occurred during Obama’s speech.
It’s unclear where Trump got the impression that people were fatally shot during Obama’s speech. Trump had cited the non-existent shootings to justify a statement on his Twitter account Tuesday night, in which he appeared to be citing incorrect statistics shared on Bill O’Reilly’s show.
Trump wrote that if Chicago didn’t get homicides and shootings under control, he would “send in the feds:”
If Chicago doesn’t fix the horrible “carnage” going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017
They just love blowing that dog whistle regarding Chicago.
Well, just look at what’s shooting!
We’ve been promised “lies”, not “wrongly” or “falsely”, and this is the perfect story to start with.
“Trump Wrongly Says…”
How about TRUMP LIES AGAIN?
I’ll say it again:
Democrats need to set up an Actual Facts Daily Briefing, to be attended by the press pool, a block away from the White House.