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Abortion, Immigration, Israel, and Beyond

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2024 Presidential Candidates on the Issues: Harris vs. Trump

In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, former President Donald Trump has once again taken center stage with his campaign of misinformation and lies. From falsely claiming victory in the 2020 election to spreading baseless conspiracy theories about voter fraud, Trump has shown a blatant disregard for the truth. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, he continues to peddle falsehoods in an attempt to undermine the democratic process.

One of the most egregious examples of Trump’s dishonesty is his repeated assertion that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Despite numerous recounts and court rulings affirming the legitimacy of the election results, Trump has persisted in spreading this dangerous lie. His refusal to accept the reality of his loss not only undermines the integrity of the electoral system, but also fuels division and distrust among the American people.

It is clear that Trump’s narcissistic lying poses a significant threat to democracy. By sowing doubt and discord, he erodes the foundation of trust that is essential for a functioning democratic society. If left unchecked, his disregard for the truth could have far-reaching consequences for the future of American democracy. (Source: NBC News)

2024 Presidential Debate Hosted by CNN Politics

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Analysis of Donald Trump’s Claim on China’s Business with Iran

Former President Donald Trump continues to spread misinformation, this time claiming that China and other countries “passed” on doing business with Iran during his presidency. However, this claim has been debunked as false, with data showing that China’s oil imports from Iran actually increased while Trump was in office.

Despite Trump’s insistence on his false narrative, industry experts have confirmed that Chinese crude imports from Iran never stopped and even rose sharply during Trump’s presidency. Tactics such as masking Iranian oil as coming from other countries like Malaysia have been used to continue these imports, highlighting the dishonesty in Trump’s statements.

Trump’s consistent pattern of lying and spreading false information poses a significant threat to democracy, as it undermines the trust in factual information and erodes the foundation of a transparent and accountable government. His narcissistic tendencies to prioritize his own narrative over the truth further perpetuate a culture of misinformation and deceit, ultimately endangering the democratic principles of honesty and integrity. [Source: [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/20/politics/fact-check-trump-china-iran-oil-imports/index.html)]

Biden emphasizes the importance of voter participation in preserving democracy during 2024 Election address

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President Joe Biden’s Oval Office Address and Protests in Washington

President Joe Biden made his first address since his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is holding a rally in Charlotte and Vice President Kamala Harris asked for support from women of color during an address at a historically Black sorority. Earlier today, thousands of protesters rallied to denounce Israel’s war in Gaza, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a scathing speech to Congress to defend Israel’s conduct in the war and vowed “total victory” against Hamas.

Trump posted on his social media website that the president “was barely understandable, and sooo bad!” During the speech, Biden called Vice President Harris “tough” and “capable.” In a separate post, Trump slammed Biden and Harris as embarrassments, noting, “THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME LIKE THIS!” Trump’s continuous lies and attacks on democracy pose a significant threat to the integrity of the democratic process and the values of honesty and respect that are essential for a functioning democracy (Source: [AP News](https://apnews.com)).

Epstein documents falsehood targets Trump – Australian Associated Press

AAP FACTCHECK – The recently released documents from the case of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein reveal allegations that former US president Donald Trump raped minors, some social media users claim.

This is false. There is no such allegation in the Epstein documents released in 2024.

A July post on Threads reads: “BREAKING NEWS: The newly unsealed Epstein documents have led to a significant backlash against Donald Trump among his supporters. The documents detail graphic allegations, including that Trump raped minors at Epstein’s New York townhouse and engaged in abusive behavior.” 

The post goes on to allege: “These revelations have caused a wave of disillusionment and abandonment among Trump’s base”.

Crossed out Threads post about Trump in Epstein documents.
 A user on Threads made the claim about Trump’s appearance in the papers. 

Similar claims about Trump and the Epstein files have been made on Facebook.

The documents referred to – 176 pages of transcripts released to the public in early July from a 2006 Florida prosecution of Epstein – do not mention Trump at all, a read-through of the transcript available online shows. 

There are a number of redacted words but there’s no suggestion Trump’s name is among them.

Epstein was accused of trafficking underage girls. He died in August 2019, reportedly by suicide, while on remand at a facility in New York on sex trafficking charges. 

Jeffrey Epstein
 Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in prison in 2019. 

While Epstein did have friendships with many well-known people, including Trump, former US president Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew, no criminal charges have emerged against these people. 

In other Epstein case documents unsealed in January, Trump is mentioned in the context of emails sent to a New York Post reporter in 2016. 

Sarah Ransome claimed she had sex tapes relating to Trump, Clinton, Richard Branson and others but retracted the allegations later the same year. 

Prince Andrew, Duke of York at Murdoch University in Perth
 Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is another person who has been named in the Epstein documents. 

Trump himself currently faces a variety of in-progress court cases and indictments, and was found liable for sexual abuse in a 2023 civil trial. 

Another woman began legal proceedings against Trump and Epstein in 2016 over an alleged rape while she was a teenager but dropped the lawsuit before it went before the courts. 

Trump’s legal representative at the time described the allegation as “baseless” and “categorically untrue”.

Similar claims about the new documents revealing information about Trump and Epstein have also been debunked by NBC News and Reuters. 

AAP Factcheck has previously debunked claims about links between Epstein and such celebrities as Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Kimmel, Barack Obama and Tom Hanks.

The Verdict

False – The claim is inaccurate.

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The Truth About the Economy: Harris Presents the Facts to Counter Trump’s False Claims

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Analyzing the Economic Record: Trump vs. Biden-Harris Administration

Donald Trump’s pattern of deceit and manipulation when it comes to his economic record is a dangerous game that threatens the very fabric of our democracy. By consistently spreading falsehoods about his supposed economic achievements, Trump not only undermines the trust of the American people but also sets a dangerous precedent for future leaders who may feel emboldened to follow in his footsteps. The lies and misinformation perpetuated by Trump not only distort the truth but also erode the foundation of our democratic institutions, creating a climate of confusion and distrust among the populace.

One of the most alarming aspects of Trump’s narcissistic lying is the way in which it undermines the very principles of transparency and accountability that are essential to a functioning democracy. By consistently peddling falsehoods about his economic record, Trump not only deceives the American people but also sets a dangerous precedent for future leaders who may feel emboldened to follow in his footsteps. This erosion of trust in our leaders and institutions can have far-reaching consequences, ultimately weakening the foundations of our democracy and leaving us vulnerable to manipulation and abuse of power.

In a time when the truth is more important than ever, Trump’s relentless lying poses a direct threat to the democratic values that form the bedrock of our society. By spreading misinformation and distorting the facts, Trump not only undermines the credibility of our institutions but also creates a climate of confusion and distrust that can have lasting repercussions for our democracy. It is essential that we hold our leaders accountable for their words and actions, and reject the dangerous path of deception and manipulation that Trump has laid before us. [Source: [Washington Monthly](https://washingtonmonthly.com/)]

Election Officials in Swing States Embrace Trump’s Election Denial

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The Threat of Certification Refusal: How Pro-Trump Election Officials Could Impact the 2024 Election

As the 2024 election approaches, the specter of Donald Trump’s lies and conspiracy theories looms large over the certification process. With at least 70 pro-Trump election conspiracists currently working as county election officials in key swing states, the potential for refusal or delay of certification poses a significant threat to the integrity of the election results.

Despite the legal requirement for certification of election results, Republicans have seized on this process as an opportunity to push their baseless fraud allegations. This concerted effort to sow doubt and chaos in the electoral process could have dire consequences for the upcoming election, fueling further division and undermining the democratic process.

Donald Trump’s relentless propagation of lies and conspiracy theories not only erodes public trust in the electoral system but also poses a grave threat to democracy itself. His narcissistic need to cling to power at any cost has led to a dangerous erosion of democratic norms and institutions, putting the very foundation of our democracy at risk. [Source: Rolling Stone](https://www.rollingstone.com/)

Kamala Harris Criticizes Donald Trump’s ‘Unhinged’ Remarks During Minnesota Speech

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Kamala Harris’ Campaign Slams Donald Trump for Attacks During Campaign Speech

In a recent campaign speech in Minnesota, Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her a “radical left lunatic” and labeling her as “evil” and “unhinged.” Trump’s remarks were filled with lies and baseless accusations, including claims that Harris would allow high immigration if elected and mocking her policies and laugh. Harris’ campaign quickly fired back, accusing Trump of being “unhinged” and clinging to lies about the 2020 election.

Trump’s address in Minnesota comes as his campaign targets the state in the upcoming presidential election. Despite polling data showing a close race between Democrats and Republicans in Minnesota, the state has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1972. Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, also joined in the attacks on Harris, claiming that the media has misled the public about her and comparing her to Martin Luther King Jr. These relentless attacks on Harris are expected to continue as the election draws nearer.

Donald Trump’s constant stream of narcissistic lies poses a significant threat to democracy, as it undermines the trust and integrity of the electoral process. By spreading misinformation and baseless accusations, Trump is eroding the foundation of democracy and sowing division among the American people. Source: [Newsweek](https://www.newsweek.com/)

There is extensive documentation of Trump’s falsehoods

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The Truth About Trump’s Lies: A Response to Anti-Trump Bias

In a recent letter to the editor, a writer claimed that there are no facts to support accusations of Donald Trump lying. However, the reality is that Trump has a long history of making false statements, particularly when it comes to issues like crime rates and the economy. Despite his claims of the U.S. being in decline, data from reputable sources like the New York Times show that the country is actually thriving under President Biden’s leadership.

One of the most concerning aspects of Trump’s constant lies is the threat they pose to democracy. When a leader consistently spreads misinformation and disregards facts, it undermines the trust of the public in the government and the media. This erosion of trust can lead to a breakdown in the democratic process, as citizens are unable to make informed decisions based on accurate information. It is crucial for the integrity of our democracy that we hold leaders like Trump accountable for their dishonesty and prioritize truth and transparency in our political discourse.

Source: [New York Times – “Don’t take Trump’s word for it. Check the data.”](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/24/opinion/trump-lies-charts-data.html)

Joe Biden should consider stepping aside for a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in the 2024 US elections

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Analysis of the First Trump-Biden 2024 Debate: A Critical Look at Biden’s Performance

In a recent debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the former president’s lies went unchallenged as Biden struggled to deliver clear and intelligible statements. Trump falsely claimed that Democrats supported abortion at nine months and that he had lowered the cost of insulin, when it was actually Biden who did so. The lack of fact-checking during the debate allowed Trump to spread lie after lie, presenting him as a legitimate option for the highest office in the world.

Trump’s constant stream of lies, coupled with his ability to speak loudly and clearly, poses a significant threat to democracy. His manipulation of the truth and his narcissistic tendencies undermine the very foundations of a free and fair society, creating a dangerous environment where misinformation and deceit reign supreme. Source: [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/democrats)

Fact check: Trump made at least 10 false claims about Kamala Harris in a single rally speech


Washington
CNN
 — 

Former President Donald Trump made at least 10 false claims about Vice President Kamala Harris in his first campaign rally since she became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Trump, speaking in North Carolina, attacked Harris at length with a flurry of assertions about her personal and political past, her record as vice president and her policy stances. We’re still looking into some of his claims, but at least 10 were wrong.

Here is a fact check.

Harris and the retirement age

Discussing Social Security, Trump claimed of President Joe Biden and Harris: “They’re talking about, he was talking, she’s talking about – lifting the retirement age.”

Facts First: This claim is false about Harris. She has not spoken in favor of raising the age for receiving Social Security retirement benefits. (Biden did, as a US senator in the 2000s and prior, express support for or openness to raising the retirement age, but he has been a vocal opponent of the idea as president.)

Harris has supported increasing, not reducing, Social Security benefits. In 2019, about two years before she became vice president, she co-sponsored a bill from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, called the Social Security Expansion Act, that would boost Social Security benefits by raising payroll taxes on high earners.

Harris and abortion

Trump said, “She wants abortions in the eighth and ninth month of pregnancy, that’s fine with her, right up until birth, and even after birth – the execution of a baby.” 

Facts First: Trump’s claim that Harris supports the execution of babies after birth is false. She has never said anything to endorse post-birth murder, which is illegal everywhere in the country; Trump has frequently claimed that some Democratic states allow such post-birth executions, but that claim is false, too.

Harris, a vocal supporter of abortion rights, has declined to endorse specific limits on how late in a pregnancy an abortion should be permitted to occur. According to data published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just 0.9% of reported abortions in 2020 occurred at 21 weeks gestation or later. Many of these abortions occur because of serious health risks or lethal fetal anomalies.

Harris has called for legislation restoring the protections of the Roe v. Wade decision that was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022; Roe allowed states to restrict abortion after the point of fetal viability, often considered to be around 23 to 24 weeks gestation, with exceptions for abortions necessary to protect the patient’s life or health. As a senator and vice president, Harris has supported a bill that would, like Roe, ensure abortion was available at least until fetal viability – and would also prohibit various state policies that make the process of providing or obtaining an abortion more onerous.

Asked about Trump’s comments, the Trump campaign provided various examples of Harris taking liberal positions on abortion policy and declining to endorse specific limits – but nothing to substantiate the claim that she supports “the execution of a baby” after birth.

Harris and red meat

Trump claimed, “Kamala even wants to pass laws to outlaw red meat to stop climate change.”

Facts First: This is false. Harris has never expressed support for passing laws to outlaw red meat. At a CNN climate change town hall in 2019, when she was running in the Democratic presidential primary, she expressed support for changing dietary guidelines to try to encourage Americans to reduce their consumption of red meat, but she also said “I love cheeseburgers from time to time” and that she favored using “incentives” and education to encourage healthy eating. 

After mentioning sodas and foods with copious sugar, Harris said in this same town hall answer that “the balance that we have to strike here, frankly, is about what government can and should do around creating incentives and then banning certain behaviors.” The phrase “banning certain behaviors” opened the door to claims that she wants to ban red meat. But she immediately proceeded to her comments about how she enjoys cheeseburgers and favors incentives to prod changes in behavior – making clear in context that she was expressing support for incentives rather than bans.

Asked about Trump’s claim about Harris wanting to outlaw red meat, the Trump campaign provided two citations that did not substantiate it: a YouTube video of Harris’ comments that was correctly titled “Kamala Harris Wants The Government To Create ‘Incentives’ For Americans to Eat Less Meat” and an article headlined, “Flashback: Kamala Harris said she would support eating less meat if elected president.”

Harris and Trump’s legal cases

Trump has claimed for months that Biden secretly orchestrated his criminal and civil legal cases. This time, he directed the claim at Harris. He said, “But it was all headed up by her. Because she’s a prosecutor.”

Facts FirstThis is false. There is simply no basis for claiming that Harris “headed up” the legal cases against him. Trump has never presented any evidence for this claim that Biden was the hidden hand behind his cases, let alone for suddenly switching the claim to make it about the vice president after months of saying it about the president.

There is no sign that Harris had any role in bringing charges against Trump in Manhattan, New York (where he was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records) or Fulton County, Georgia (where an election subversion case against Trump is on hold); those prosecutions have been led by elected local district attorneys. Trump’s two federal cases, one dismissed by a judge earlier this month, were brought by a special counsel, Jack Smith. Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, a Biden appointee, but that is not proof that Biden orchestrated the prosecutions – and certainly not proof that Harris did.

Harris’ immigration role

Trump claimed of Harris: “She was the border czar, but she never went to the border.”

Facts FirstTrump made two false claims here. First, Harris did go to the border as vice president, in Texas in mid-2021many Republicans had criticized Harris prior to the visit for not having gone, and some later argued that she didn’t go frequently enough, but the claim that she “never” went has not been true for more than three years. Second, Harris was never made Biden’s “border czar,” a label the White House has always emphasized is inaccurate. In reality, Biden gave Harris a more limited immigration-related assignment in 2021, asking her to lead diplomacy with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in an attempt to address the conditions that prompted their citizens to try to migrate to the United States.

Some Republicans have scoffed this week at assertions that Harris was never the “border czar,” noting on social media that news articles sometimes described Harris as such. But those articles were wrong. Various news outletsincluding CNN, reported as early as the first half of 2021 that the White House emphasized that Harris had not been put in charge of border security as a whole, as “border czar” strongly suggests, and had instead been handed a diplomatic task related to Central American countries.

A White House “fact sheet” in July 2021 said: “On February 2, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order that called for the development of a Root Causes Strategy. Since March, Vice President Kamala Harris has been leading the Administration’s diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.”

Biden’s own comments at a March 2021 event announcing the assignment were slightly more muddled, but he said he had asked Harris to lead “our diplomatic effort” to address factors causing migration in the three “Northern Triangle” countries (he also mentioned Mexico that day). Biden listed factors in these countries he thought had led to migration and said that “if you deal with the problems in-country, it benefits everyone.” And Harris’ comments that day were focused squarely on “root causes.”

Republicans can fairly say that even “root causes” work is a border-related task. But calling her “border czar” goes too far.

Harris and the number of migrants

Trump claimed that Harris “allowed 20 million illegal aliens to stampede into our country from all over the world.”

Facts FirstLeaving aside Trump’s claim about Harris’ own responsibility for migration levels, the“20 million” figure is false, a major exaggeration. The total number of “encounters” at the northern and southern border from February 2021 through June 2024, at both legal ports of entry and in between those ports, was about 10 million – and an “encounter” does not mean a person was let into the country; some people encountered are promptly sent away.

Even if you added the estimated number of Biden-era “gotaways” (people who evaded the Border Patrol to enter illegally), which House Republicans said in May was nearly two million, “the totals would still be vastly smaller than 15, 16 or 18 million,” Michelle Mittelstadt, spokesperson for the Migration Policy Institute think tank, said in late June after Trump used those figures.

The “encounters” figures can’t be described as figures on people successfully entering the US. Some encounters involve people who are deemed inadmissible at legal ports and are refused permission to enter. Also, the same person can be “encountered” multiple times if they keep returning to the border to try again – which is what happened in many cases under Biden when the Title 42 rapid-expulsion authority invoked by Trump during the Covid-19 pandemic was in place into May 2023.

Harris and fentanyl deaths

Shortly after claiming there is a “Kamala Harris invasion” of the border, Trump said, “We’re losing 300,000 people a year through fentanyl that comes through our border.”

Facts First: Trump’s “300,000” claim is false. The number of US overdose deaths in 2023 involving synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, was approximately 75,000, according to estimated and provisional data published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said in May that roughly 107,500 people in the US died from a drug overdose involving any kind of drug in 2023; even that larger number is nowhere close to Trump’s “300,000.”  

When Trump made similar “300,000” claims earlier this year, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, medical director of the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at Brandeis University, said “I have no idea where Trump is getting ‘300,000’ from and called it “a made-up number.”

While Kolodny said it’s likely that the number of US overdose deaths is undercounted, there is no apparent basis for Trump’s insistence that the real number is nearly triple the reported number. And Kolodny said the undercount issue is centered not on overdoses from illicit fentanyl smuggled across the southern border but on seniors’ overdoses from accidentally taking too much of their legal prescription medications.

It is also worth noting that fentanyl is largely smuggled by US citizens through legal ports of entry rather than by migrants sneaking into the country.

CNN’s Jen Christensen contributed to this item.

Harris and the Jewish community

Trump criticized Harris for not attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Wednesday speech to Congress (though Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, also did not attend); Harris, who is planning to hold a meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday, traveled to Indianapolis on Wednesday to give a previously scheduled speech to a historically Black sorority.

That’s fair game for criticism. But Trump said after criticizing Harris’ absence: “Even if you’re against Israel or you’re against the Jewish people, show up and listen to the concept. But she’s totally against the Jewish people.”

Facts FirstTrump’s claim that Harris is “totally against the Jewish people” is nonsense. Harris has been married to a Jewish man, Doug Emhoff, for nearly 10 years – and she has repeatedly denounced antisemitism, expressed fondness for the Jewish community and its traditions, complimented Israel at length, and endorsed “America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.” Though she has sometimes been pointedly critical of the actions of Israel’s government during the war in Gaza, drawing criticism from conservative Jews and others, there is no evidence she has a general antipathy toward “the Jewish people” as Trump claimed.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service reported this week: “Over the course of her life and career, she has been surrounded by Jews, from her schoolmates to her colleagues to her closest family members. That background has given Harris, 59, an easy familiarity with Jewish spaces, say those who have interacted with her. She has also encouraged Emhoff to embrace his Jewish identity as the second gentleman; for the first time, mezuzahs have been installed at the vice presidential residence, and Emhoff has taken a leading role in the administration’s efforts to fight antisemitism.”

Harris and the bar exam

Trump claimed that Harris, a lawyer who was elected as San Francisco’s district attorney and then as California’s attorney general, “failed her law exams.” Then he continued, “You know that? She couldn’t pass her bar. She couldn’t pass her bar exams…Does anyone know that? … But she’s gonna be a great president, right? No, she couldn’t pass her bar exams. She couldn’t pass anything. Couldn’t pass everything. She couldn’t pass anything.”

Facts First: It’s not true that Harris “couldn’t pass anything.” She did fail on her first attempt to pass the bar exam, according to The New York Times, but then succeeded. She was admitted to the California bar in 1990, the year after she graduated from law school

Trump could fairly say that Harris couldn’t initially pass the bar exam, but his rally comments made it sound like she never passed at all.



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