Donald Trump is the 45th and 47th president of the United States. Before entering national politics, he worked in real estate development and entertainment.
DI has documented statements by Donald Trump on 2026 Midterm Elections, Antisemitism, and Artificial Intelligence, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.
Role at the time: President of the United States, answering reporters' questions at an Oval Office event on health care
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Asked in the Oval Office why he expected the exclusion to survive a court challenge, after a reporter noted that a similar move against CNN in his first term had not, Trump said it was good to point out fake news whether or not the exclusion survives, that a court should not allow fake news to be written "day after day after day," and that "somebody has a right to keep them away if they're going to write false stories all the time."
“No, but I think it's good. I think it's good to point it out whether it survives or doesn't. I mean, I don't think a court should allow, depends on the judge you get, to be honest with you. I don't think that a court should allow fake news to be written day after day after day. I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they're going to write false stories all the time.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)President Trump Makes an Announcement on Healthcare, Sep. 18, 2026 · The White House35:13-36:12 of the White House video (question at 35:31-35:38; quoted answer at 35:51-36:09)
Why we used this label
Trump defends the act directly and on legal grounds, saying it is worth doing whether or not a court upholds it and that outlets can be kept away if they write false stories. The closest competing label is “Mixed or conditional”, because he says "whether it survives or doesn't" and "depends on the judge you get". That loses because those phrases concern the litigation outcome, not his position on the exclusion, which he affirms.
Role at the time: President of the United States, in a post on his Truth Social account (posted again to his X account at 8:11 PM EDT)
Defended or excused
Statement summary
In a Truth Social post at 3:04 PM EDT on September 18, 2026, President Trump said that, effective immediately, he was banning CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House because of their reporting, which he called fake news. He wrote that outlets should not be able to constantly write or report fiction and lies about the President, his administration or the country, and that other outlets would follow.
“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico (The recipients of an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription, an All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked Joe Biden, in order to keep them “alive.” Seems like corruption to me!), from the White House as a result of their constant “reporting” FAKE NEWS! Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Truth Social post by Donald J. Trump, September 18, 2026, 3:04 PM EDT · Donald TrumpPost ID 117293599348325006, posted 3:04 PM EDT, Friday, September 18, 2026
Why we used this label
Trump is the author of that act and states it as a decision he is proud of, giving the outlets' coverage as the reason, so the post advances the conduct under scrutiny rather than describing it. The closest competing label is “Challenged the characterization”, because the post calls the outlets' reporting "fake news" and "lies". That loses because those assertions are offered as the justification for an exclusion he announces and endorses in the same post.
Role at the time: President of the United States, speaking to reporters on arrival in Charlotte, North Carolina
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Asked by a reporter on arrival in Charlotte, North Carolina, why it was so important to him to have his name on the Kennedy Center, Trump said the center has lost money for years and that, for the administration to get involved and carry it long term, “the Trump administration should certainly have recognition.” He continued: “Because, frankly, if we don’t do that, it’s going to close. It’ll end up being ripped down.”
“So for the Trump administration, for me, to get involved and to take that on long term and to carry it, or to raise money to carry it, I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition. Because, frankly, if we don't do that, it's going to close. It'll end up being ripped down.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)President Trump Gaggles with Press Upon Arrival at Charlotte, NC, Sep. 16, 2026 · The White HouseReporter's question about 4:40-4:48; Trump's answer 4:49-5:46; quoted passage about 5:26-5:46 (audio transcribed by us)
Why we used this label
Asked why he wants his name on the building, Trump argues that the Trump administration “should certainly have recognition” for taking the center on long term, and gives as his reason that “if we don’t do that, it’s going to close. It’ll end up being ripped down,” without saying what “that” refers to. The closest competing label is “Mixed or conditional”, because the reason is framed as an if-clause. That loses because the if-clause supports his demand for recognition and attaches no reservation or criticism to it, whichever antecedent “that” has.
Role at the time: President of the United States, speaking to reporters on arrival in Charlotte, North Carolina
Condemned
Statement summary
Asked about the proposal on the day it was made, Trump said that if he judged it a hostile act he would impose very serious tariffs on Europe or curtail trade in many goods, and that heavy tariffs would follow if he read the intention as bad. He called the idea laughable and described Canada as a terrible trade partner.
“If they do that, if I think it’s at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things.” … “If it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe.” … “I think it’s laughable … Canada has been a terrible trade partner.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)President Trump gaggles with press upon arrival at Charlotte, North CarolinaExchange on the EU-Canada associate-member proposal and tariff threat
Why we used this label
Relative to whether Canada should become an associate member of the European Union, Trump is against it and attaches a penalty to it, which is a substantive criticism of the proposal rather than of how it has been described. The conditional wording does not make this mixed: the condition attaches to his own reading of European intent and to what he would do about it, not to whether he supports the arrangement, and he separately calls the idea laughable. The closest competing label is minimizes, which loses because he treats the proposal as consequential enough to threaten trade over.
Role at the time: President of the United States and chair of the Kennedy Center's board of trustees, posting on his verified Truth Social account
Defended or excused
Statement summary
In a Truth Social post on September 15, Trump wrote that the Kennedy Center board had agreed to close the building for safety reasons, that the closing would take place immediately, and that the renovation and reconstruction could not begin until the D.C. Circuit rules on the board's approved name. He wrote that if that ruling is negative and is not overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the renovation and reconstruction “will not take place,” and that Justice Department attorneys would ask for an expedited appeal.
“The Board of The Kennedy Center today agreed, almost unanimously, to close the Building for Safety reasons, and so that it can begin the process of Reconstruction. The closing will take place immediately, however, the Renovation and Reconstruction, which is a very large and complex job, cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the Board's approved name. If the ruling is a negative one, which it should not be, and is not overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) on Truth Social, September 15, 2026, 2:54 PM · Donald TrumpTruth Social post 117276573235915643, posted 2:54 PM EDT on September 15, 2026; first three sentences
Why we used this label
In the post Trump says the board agreed to close the building for safety reasons, that the closing is immediate, that renovation “cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the Board’s approved name,” and that it “will not take place” if a negative ruling is not overturned, an outcome he says “should not be.” The closest competing label is “Mixed or conditional”, because the renovation is stated as contingent on a court ruling. That loses because the contingency is the content of the position being recorded, not a qualification of Trump's own stance toward it; the post gives a safety reason for the closure and expresses no reservation about the position.
Trump criticizes the Court’s refusal to allow the ballot-mail rule to take effect for the 2026 midterms and presents the rule as a response to what he calls mail-in voting problems.
“Republicans just got another bad decision from the United States Supreme Court ... It is a big loss for Republicans, and America itself.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Donald Trump calls the Supreme Court mail-voting decision a loss for Republicans and AmericaTruth Social post ID 117275286602582454, published 2026-09-15 13:27:40 UTC
Why we used this label
Relative to whether the new ballot-mail restrictions should apply in 2026, Trump describes the block as a loss and portrays enforcement as the needed response to alleged mail-in voting problems.
Role at the time: President of the United States posting on his verified Truth Social account.
Defended or excused
Statement summary
In a later September 14 Truth Social post, Trump called warnings that AI could take over or destroy humanity a hoax and criticized those who he said use such warnings to push regulation.
“AI taking over the World, destroying Humanity, and all other things bad, is a HOAX”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Trump’s later Truth Social post calling catastrophic AI warnings a hoax · Donald TrumpTruth Social post 117270591511950591; opening paragraph; displayed 1:33 PM EDT on September 14, 2026.
Why we used this label
Trump dismisses catastrophic warnings as a hoax and argues that regulation threatens the industry. The complete post defends continued development without the proposed added restraints.
Trump rejects calls for additional AI guardrails, argues existing federal powers suffice, and criticizes Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
“The only control or “guardrails” that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Trump's Truth Social post on AI guardrails and Amodei · Donald TrumpPost 117269745153543631; opening sentence and following discussion of regulatory powers, Amodei and competition with China
Why we used this label
He expressly rejects the call for additional safeguards and attacks its proponents. Invoking existing enforcement powers does not make that rejection conditional.
The White House says waiving the Graham Act's Russia measures preserves room for peace negotiations. Lawmakers from both parties and Volodymyr Zelenskyy say relief weakens pressure on Russia. Thomas Massie welcomes Trump's use of the authority Congress granted.
Musk says Washington controls Starshield limits. Dixon argues SpaceX still bears responsibility. Ukrainian officials and U.S. lawmakers criticize the October restrictions and seek answers about who authorized them.
Two groups asked the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Brendan Carr, Doug Burgum and Howard Lutnick violated the Hatch Act by discussing their agencies' work at an October 13 rally for Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska.
A watchdog seeks a California bar investigation into Katie Zacharia's public lawyer claims and work for Fix California. Zacharia defends her credentials. The complaint asks regulators to investigate; it does not establish a violation.
Omar calls the search of her home an attempt to target political enemies. The Justice Department says agents executed a judicially authorized warrant in an ongoing criminal investigation. A watchdog group asked the Office of Special Counsel to examine the timing under the Hatch Act.
After Trump announced an energy truce, Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian refineries, saying Moscow ignored it. Steve Cortes said Zelenskyy appears intent on raising U.S. fuel prices to help Democrats; Rep. Don Bacon called Cortes a Putin stooge.
Trump told reporters on October 10 that it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, saying Zelenskyy could have settled the war many times. Kyiv's foreign minister said Ukrainians will decide; Elon Musk and the Kremlin's spokesman sided with Trump.
Trump said Russia would supply millions of tons of diesel after a call with Putin, and Treasury authorized Russian diesel imports until April 2027. Zelenskyy and lawmakers in both parties objected.
The Park Service cut about 430 trees at East Potomac Golf Course after a late Friday notice. Judge Ana Reyes barred further removal and refused a government request that she step aside. Trump attacked the judge and said work would begin.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Navi Pillay's work for international justice. UN Watch condemned the award, alleging that her record on Israel and antisemitism disqualified her.
Pete Hegseth confirms plans to livestream Nidal Hasan's execution. Betty McCollum calls for stopping the public spectacle, while Alyssa Farah Griffin opposes the broadcast despite supporting capital punishment.
An ICE officer shot a man in a car in Marble Hill on October 8. DHS calls it a targeted arrest and had not said by October 9 why the officer fired. Mamdani says early reports indicate agents surrounded the man and child before firing.
