Donald Trump’s interview with Chris Wallace is one for the books. The Fox News Sunday host did something the president isn’t used to, he fact-checked him in real-time. Here are some of the most memorable moments.
First up, the clip that made big news on Friday. Trump used his talking point that Joe Biden wants to defund the police. When Wallace told him that’s not true, Trump called for someone off-camera to bring him proof. The president stumbled through, unable to find evidence that his opponent wants to defund the police.
WATCH: President Trump on violence in our cities, the battle over police funding, and "cancel culture." Check your local listings #FoxNewsSunday pic.twitter.com/s6G6PewEel
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) July 19, 2020
Trump has largely ignored talking about coronavirus lately, but Wallace repeatedly challenged him on the subject. In one case Trump again asked a staff member for evidence to back up his claim that “we have the best mortality rate.” He wasn’t able to find evidence to back up this claim either.
"Ready? Will you please get me the mortality rate? Kayleigh is right here… I heard we have the best mortality rate" – the WH just flat out made up a chart to create a false impression that the US has the best mortality rate in the world during Trump's interview w/ Chris Wallace pic.twitter.com/yw8QGBTRVs
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 19, 2020
As for those that lost lives, Wallace gave Trump a chance to show some empathy, but alas he couldn’t do it. His response, “It is what it is.”
143,000 Americans are dead. The vast majority of these deaths were avoidable if the U.S. had a coherent strategy to control the virus.
TRUMP: "It is what it is." https://t.co/TCvmaWlh39
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) July 19, 2020
The president also doubled down on something he often says, that coronavirus will disappear. The problem is he doesn’t offer any sort of timeline and can’t explain why it hasn’t disappeared yet.
Chris Wallace: You've been wrong a lot on coronavirus, claiming it will quickly disappear and go down to zero/
Trump: "I will be right eventually…I'll say it again, it's going to disappear." pic.twitter.com/LonHZVO8qB
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 19, 2020
And here’s something that should raise some red flags among those who fight for our country. On the topic of renaming bases, the president discounted the position of top military brass saying, “I don’t care what the military says.”
WATCH: Trump doubles down on his threat to block pay raises for service members so he can continue to honor Confederate generals.
Despite his top military officials supporting changing the names of bases, Trump says “I don't care what the military says.” pic.twitter.com/JS4QcxDI6m
— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) July 19, 2020
Recently Trump has been citing without evidence things that he says will be gone in a Biden White House. Today he chose religion.
“Religion will be gone” — Trump offers some absurd fear-mongering about what will happen if Biden is elected pic.twitter.com/xIVECroUHd
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 19, 2020
And then there’s the cognitive test, Trump says he recently took. Wallace points out the test isn’t exactly difficult.
Oh god, this is a moment https://t.co/NpPSLGImTZ
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) July 19, 2020