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| In Tweetstorm, Trump Bends Truth on Foreign Policy and the Border Wall | In Tweetstorm, Trump Bends Truth on Foreign Policy and the Border Wall |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| What Trump Said | What Trump Said |
| The facts | The facts |
| Ronald Reagan made no attempts to build a border wall, according to biographers of the 40th president and journalists who covered the Reagan administration. | Ronald Reagan made no attempts to build a border wall, according to biographers of the 40th president and journalists who covered the Reagan administration. |
| During a 1980 Republican primary debate, Reagan discussed illegal immigration and the United States’ relationship with Mexico. | During a 1980 Republican primary debate, Reagan discussed illegal immigration and the United States’ relationship with Mexico. |
| “Rather than making them, or talking about putting up a fence,” he said, “why don’t we work out some recognition of our mutual problems and make it possible for them to come here legally, with a work permit, and then while they are working and earning here, they pay taxes here.” | “Rather than making them, or talking about putting up a fence,” he said, “why don’t we work out some recognition of our mutual problems and make it possible for them to come here legally, with a work permit, and then while they are working and earning here, they pay taxes here.” |
| Bob Spitz, the author of “Reagan: An American Journey,” said he was unaware of any other examples of Reagan discussing a border wall during his presidency. Mr. Spitz also pointed to the former president’s farewell address, in which he envisioned the United States as a “shining city upon a hill” and “if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.” | Bob Spitz, the author of “Reagan: An American Journey,” said he was unaware of any other examples of Reagan discussing a border wall during his presidency. Mr. Spitz also pointed to the former president’s farewell address, in which he envisioned the United States as a “shining city upon a hill” and “if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.” |
| “That was Ronald Reagan’s America — welcoming and inclusive,” Mr. Spitz said. “He knew that immigrants contributed to the fabric of American society and keeping them out was never a focus of his policy.” | “That was Ronald Reagan’s America — welcoming and inclusive,” Mr. Spitz said. “He knew that immigrants contributed to the fabric of American society and keeping them out was never a focus of his policy.” |
| Asked whether Reagan tried to build a border wall, H.W. Brands, a historian and the author of “Reagan: The Life,” simply replied, “No, he did not.” | Asked whether Reagan tried to build a border wall, H.W. Brands, a historian and the author of “Reagan: The Life,” simply replied, “No, he did not.” |
| “The most famous line of his presidency was about tearing down walls — ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall’ — not building them,” Mr. Brands said. | “The most famous line of his presidency was about tearing down walls — ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall’ — not building them,” Mr. Brands said. |
| And Kelly D. Barton, an archivist at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., said he has “not been able to find any indication of Reagan being directly involved in attempts to get a border fence/wall built.” | And Kelly D. Barton, an archivist at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., said he has “not been able to find any indication of Reagan being directly involved in attempts to get a border fence/wall built.” |
| “The issue did not come up in any of his public speeches and statements as President, or any other source that I was able to check,” Mr. Barton said Friday in an email to The New York Times. | “The issue did not come up in any of his public speeches and statements as President, or any other source that I was able to check,” Mr. Barton said Friday in an email to The New York Times. |
| What Trump Said | What Trump Said |
| The facts | The facts |
| Whether or not President Trump has been “tougher” on China and Russia than any other president is subjective. But it’s worth pointing out that observers of American relations with both countries point to a disconnect between aggressive policies enacted by the Trump administration and not-so-tough language from Mr. Trump himself. | Whether or not President Trump has been “tougher” on China and Russia than any other president is subjective. But it’s worth pointing out that observers of American relations with both countries point to a disconnect between aggressive policies enacted by the Trump administration and not-so-tough language from Mr. Trump himself. |
| In his resignation letter on Thursday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis emphasized that his views on “treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors” — China and Russia, for example — were not shared by Mr. Trump. | In his resignation letter on Thursday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis emphasized that his views on “treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors” — China and Russia, for example — were not shared by Mr. Trump. |
| Cheng Li, a China expert at the Brookings Institution, said Mr. Trump was right in the sense that he has treated China as a strategic rival or enemy — an unprecedented stance among the eight presidents who served after Richard M. Nixon opened diplomatic relations with Beijing. | Cheng Li, a China expert at the Brookings Institution, said Mr. Trump was right in the sense that he has treated China as a strategic rival or enemy — an unprecedented stance among the eight presidents who served after Richard M. Nixon opened diplomatic relations with Beijing. |
| But Mr. Li called Mr. Trump the “least effective” president in addressing the concerns he and his administration have raised about China, especially given the confusing signals the president sends. | But Mr. Li called Mr. Trump the “least effective” president in addressing the concerns he and his administration have raised about China, especially given the confusing signals the president sends. |
| During his November 2017 visit to Beijing, Mr. Trump touted his “very good chemistry” with President Xi Jinping of China and declined to blame China for the trade imbalance. Then, in January, the Trump administration imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines, aimed at China and South Korea before other rounds. | During his November 2017 visit to Beijing, Mr. Trump touted his “very good chemistry” with President Xi Jinping of China and declined to blame China for the trade imbalance. Then, in January, the Trump administration imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines, aimed at China and South Korea before other rounds. |
| The meeting last month between Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi in Argentina was characterized as “highly successful” by the White House. The same night they met, the United States secured the arrest of a Chinese telecommunications company’s chief financial officer. | The meeting last month between Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi in Argentina was characterized as “highly successful” by the White House. The same night they met, the United States secured the arrest of a Chinese telecommunications company’s chief financial officer. |
| Those actions, as well as other tariffs on Chinese imports, confrontations with Chinese ships in the South China Sea and a law requiring the State Department to punish Chinese officials who limit travel to Tibet would all qualify as “tough.” At the same time, Mr. Li said, Mr. Trump has stopped short of rallying the world against China, as he promised to do during his 2016 presidential campaign. | Those actions, as well as other tariffs on Chinese imports, confrontations with Chinese ships in the South China Sea and a law requiring the State Department to punish Chinese officials who limit travel to Tibet would all qualify as “tough.” At the same time, Mr. Li said, Mr. Trump has stopped short of rallying the world against China, as he promised to do during his 2016 presidential campaign. |
| On Russia, the Trump administration has indeed imposed sanctions, ordered a missile attack on Syria despite Moscow’s opposition and approved arms sales to Ukraine — actions that could be called “tough.” | |
| Yet Mr. Trump himself has repeatedly denied or played down Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, contradicting his own intelligence agencies. | Yet Mr. Trump himself has repeatedly denied or played down Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, contradicting his own intelligence agencies. |
| “My personal view is that his assertion would be laughable if it were not so dangerous,” said Harley Balzer, a professor emeritus at Georgetown University and a Russia expert. | “My personal view is that his assertion would be laughable if it were not so dangerous,” said Harley Balzer, a professor emeritus at Georgetown University and a Russia expert. |
| Withdrawing American troops from Syria, where Mr. Balzer said Russia has accused a humanitarian relief group of being terrorists, “hardly sends a ‘tough’ message.” | Withdrawing American troops from Syria, where Mr. Balzer said Russia has accused a humanitarian relief group of being terrorists, “hardly sends a ‘tough’ message.” |
| This view seems to be shared by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who called Mr. Trump’s decision to withdraw American forces from Syria “correct.” | This view seems to be shared by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who called Mr. Trump’s decision to withdraw American forces from Syria “correct.” |
| What Trump Said | What Trump Said |
| The facts | The facts |
| Ten days ago, Mr. Trump took full ownership of a potential government shutdown at a meeting with Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, the congressional Democratic leaders. | Ten days ago, Mr. Trump took full ownership of a potential government shutdown at a meeting with Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, the congressional Democratic leaders. |
| “I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don’t want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country,” Mr. Trump said. “So I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didn’t work. I will take the mantle of shutting down.” | “I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don’t want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country,” Mr. Trump said. “So I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didn’t work. I will take the mantle of shutting down.” |
| What Trump Said | What Trump Said |
| The facts | The facts |
| The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, was established in 2004 under a different name, according to the National Counterterrorism Center. It rebounded in 2011 after civil war erupted in Syria and the American military withdrew from Iraq, and it began to control vast amounts of territory in both countries. | |
| The American-led coalition against the extremist group did not begin until 2014. President Barack Obama was the only other American commander in chief to oversee military intervention against the Islamic State. | The American-led coalition against the extremist group did not begin until 2014. President Barack Obama was the only other American commander in chief to oversee military intervention against the Islamic State. |
| Under Mr. Trump’s watch, almost all of the territory that was previously held by the Islamic State has been recaptured. But, as The Times explained in a previous fact-check, Mr. Trump has largely stuck with, and taken advantage of, a strategy that Mr. Obama began. | Under Mr. Trump’s watch, almost all of the territory that was previously held by the Islamic State has been recaptured. But, as The Times explained in a previous fact-check, Mr. Trump has largely stuck with, and taken advantage of, a strategy that Mr. Obama began. |
| Curious about the accuracy of a claim? Email factcheck@nytimes.com. | Curious about the accuracy of a claim? Email factcheck@nytimes.com. |
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