Donald Trump averaged one misstatement every 5 minutes on the stump last week,
Politico reports.
In a fact-check analysis of the GOP presidential front-runner's statements from a rally in Concord, N.C., last Monday to a rally in St. Louis on Friday, there were more than five dozen statements that were either mischaracterizations, exaggerations or false, Politico reports.
The outright-wrong claims included that the United States has a "$500 billion a year trade deficit with China," which Politico reports has been debunked by
Politifact, and Trump's assertion he never settles lawsuits.
According to the
Los Angeles Times, Trump did so in 2013, with more than 100 prospective condo buyers in California.
A sampling of Politico's collection of a week's worth of misstatements include:
- Trade with Japan: In Jupiter, Fla., on March 8, Trump claimed a trade deficit with Japan was "over $100 billion a year." it was about $69 billion, Politico reports.
- Exports to Japan: Trump on March 7 in Concord, N.C., claimed the United States sends to Japan "like nothing, by comparison, nothing." The United States exported $62 billion in goods to Japan in 2015, Politico reports.
- Job Losses: Also in Concord, Trump stated: "We're losing our jobs and the politicians don't tell you that." The White House put out a fact sheet including outsourcing issues in 2012.
- Foreign trade: On March 11 in St. Louis, Trump stated: "We don't win at trade. We lose to everybody at trade." In 2015, the United States had trade surpluses with a number of countries including Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the UAE and Australia.
- Manufacturing: In Concord, N.C., Trump asked: "Remember we used to have Made in the USA, right? When was the last time you've seen it? You don't see that anymore." The U.S. Economics and Statistics Administration issued a report in 2014 that found U.S. manufacturers sold $4.4 trillion of goods that classify as "Made in the U.S.A," Politico reports. The National Association of Manufacturers issued a fact sheet noting that manufacturing contributes $2.17 trillion to the U.S. economy and employs 12.3 million Americans.
- Health care: In Concord, N.C., Trump claimed health care is "going up 35, 45, 55 percent." Premiums rose by an average of 5.8 percent a year since President Barack Obama took office, compared with 13.2 percent in the nine years prior, Politifact notes.
- Campaign Finance: In Concord, N.C., Trump stated: "I've spent the least money and I'm by far number 1. So I've spent the least." Politico reports Trump's campaign has spent $23.9 million as of Jan 31, more than Ohio Gov. John Kasich's campaign, which has spent $7.2 million, or $19.5 million including money from outside groups supporting him.
- Self-funding: In Concord, Trump said he's self-funding his campaign, and in Madison, Miss., said he was "not taking money . . . I spent a lot of money. I don't take." In Palm Beach on March 11, he also stated: "Right now, I'm into, you would know better than me, maybe $30 million, maybe more." Trump solicits donations on his campaign website, and according to Politico, as of Jan. 31, accepted $7.5 million in donations. Trump has given his campaign $250,318, and lent another $17.5 million, Politico reports.
- Anti-Trump ads: In Madison, Miss., Trump claimed "$50 million of negative ads against me in Florida." Outside groups had spent $15 million in Florida as of last week, Politico reports. In Jupiter, Fla., he said, "So many horrible, horrible things said about me in one week. $38 million worth of horrible lies." Politico reports every GOP dollar not spent by Trump on TV and radio from March 1 through 7 comes to $10.57 million, according to The Tracking Firm, a service that monitors media buys. And not all of that money was negative against Trump.
- Polling: In Concord, N.C., he referred to "one of the polls just came out, and a number of them have just come out. I'm beating Hillary Clinton quite easily, thank you." Politico reports a USA Today/Suffolk University poll from mid-February, showed him 2 points ahead of Clinton; others show she'd beat him.