Part II
73. Feb. 27, 2019
Testimony by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen seemed to put the final nail in the coffin of the "dossier" claim reported by many-- that Cohen had visited Prague to meet with Russians to help collude on Trump's behalf. Cohen told Congress he's never been to Prague or the Czech Republic, for that matter. McClatchy even reported that Cohen's cell phone had pinged off Prague towers. Where did this apparently false information come from? "Four people spoke with McClatchy on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of information shared by their foreign intelligence connections. Each obtained their information independently from foreign intelligence connections," reported McClatchy.
 Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen
74. March 1, 2019
The Washington Post deleted a tweet containing false reporting about a January 19 incident regarding a standoff between Trump-supporting pro-life Catholic high school students and a pro-choice Native American activist. The Post wrongly stated, without attribution, that the activist had fought in the Vietnam War. The activist also falsely stated that a high school student had blocked him and "wouldn't allow him to retreat." These events were later called into question, and the Washington Post is being sued in a multi-million dollar libel suit over its allegedly false reporting and misrepresentations. The Post also posted an "editor's note" on this date stating that "a more complete assessment" of the incident contradicted or failed to confirm accounts as originally reported, including that a particular student was trying to instigate a conflict.
75. Various dates
Multiple reporters and media outlets have provided false information and/or quoted incorrect anonymous sources as to the timing of the release of Special Counsel Mueller's report on Trump-Russia collusion. The Washington Post said it would be out in summer of 2018. Bloomberg said it would be shortly after the 2018 Midterm elections. In February 2019, CNN, The Washington Post and NBC reported the report was coming the last week of February. However, it was not announced at that time.
The release of the Mueller report in April 2019 belies countless news stories over more than two years. The report does not find collusion between Trump and Russia President Putin and also concludes there's no evidence that any American conspired or coordinated with any Russian. The many who claimed there was hard evidence of collusion in hand proved to be wrong, yet there is no record of media apologies and corrections on these points.
 Robert Mueller, former FBI Director, Special Counsel investigating
alleged Trump-Russia collusion
76. May 29, 2019
The Wall Street Journal reports the Navy used a "tarp" to cover the name of the U.S.S. John S. McCain so that President Trump wouldn't see it on his recent visit to Yokosuka, Japan. (The late Sen. John McCain frequently attacked Trump and cast a deciding vote contrary to McCain's campaign promise to repeal Obamacare. Trump also attacked McCain and derided McCain's performance as a soldier in Vietnam where McCain was held as a Prisoner of War.)
After the tarp news is reported, reporters quote McCain's daughter attacking Trump as if he had given the orders to cover the name.
It is further reported that the U.S.S. John McCain was kept out of Trump's view, and that sailors wearing hats with the ship's name on it were turned away and/or given the day off so that Trump would not see the McCain name.
However, shortly after these news reports, key parts of the storyline began to fall apart.
The one grain of truth appeared to be that, in advance of Trump's trip, a military official sent an email directing that the U.S.S. McCain be kept from Trump's view. However, importantly, that direction was not followed. Further, Trump and White House aides indicated Trump played no role and was unaware of the direction.
Significantly, military officials stated that it was untrue that a tarp was placed over the ship's name to block it from Trump's view. They say it was the other way around: a tarp on the ship for maintenance was removed for Trump's visit.
Further, U.S. officials said a paint barge in front of the U.S.S. John S. McCain was ordered to be moved for Trump's visit and was gone by the time he arrived.
The tarpaulin was used as part of hull preservation work on the McCain and was removed on Saturday, two days before Trump delivered a Memorial Day address at U.S. Naval Base Yokosuka, where the McCain was stationed. All ships remained in normal configuration during [the President's visit.
Cmdr. Nate Christensen, spokesman for U.S. Pacific Fleet, to NBC News
Though the main components of the Wall Street Journal story appeared to have been debunked, the New York Times' Maggie Haberman oddly tweeted out a statement that the Times had confirmed the Wall Street Journal's "excellent scoop."
The main part of the story that the Times seemed to have confirmed was that unnamed White House officials were concerned about Trump seeing the McCain name and that sailors wearing ball caps that sported the ship's insignia were turned away.
However, CBS News pointed out that "it is possible the reason they were turned away is that ball caps were not part of the dress code for the event."
U.S. officials said about 800 sailors from more than 20 ships and Navy commands were present for the president's visit and "all wore the same Navy hat that has no logo, rather than wearing individual ship or command hats."
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77. July 4, 2019
Several news outlets seemed to be victimized by a bad case of wishful thinking when they reported that President Trump's Fourth of July celebration did not draw crowds. One analysis incorrectly claimed there were "small crowds."
The Guardian featured a photo of an empty podium in Washington D.C. prior to the celebration and claimed the White House was "struggling" to draw crowds.
However, by any factual assessment, the crowds were, in fact, huge. That's in spite of the bad weather.
 
78. January 2019
In January, New York Times, Vice and others reported on the "lost" immigrant children of the Trump administration. However, AP and other fact checks stated this was a misleading term. According to AP, the "lost" children were a matter of the government not being able to track them once placed with sponsors. In some cases this was because the sponsors-- many in the U.S. illegally-- would not respond to the government's follow up phone calls.
It's not highly unusual to fail to keep track of many minors who came unaccompanied to the border. During the last year of the Obama administration, HHS was able to locate 85 percent of the minors or their sponsors, according to an inspector general's report. The Trump administration slightly exceeded that success rate in the last three months of 2017, even as it is accused of losing children.
Associated Press fact check
79. July 13, 2019
In a story about a lawsuit alleging that candidate Trump forcibly kissed a campaign worker, CNN failed to mention that that lawsuit had been dismissed. It later corrected its story to include the information.
80. July 21, 2019
Many in the media uncritically report a Georgia State legislator's racist and false claim that a "white" man at a grocery store told her to "go back where you came from."
Media reports link the supposed hateful comment to President Trump because Trump recently said several Democrats in Congress should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."
However, the following day, the legislator acknowledges the man did not say she should "go back to your country" or "go back to where you came from," as she originally claimed. She goes on to say she told him to "go back." The man adds he is not white, but a Cuban and a Democrat.
I know I told him to 'go back.'
Rep. Erica Thomas, Georgia, a day after her original accusations
After the legislator changes her story, the local news plays up the headline that the man "admits he swore," rather than the far more important acknowledgement that her major claim was false. (See around 2:05 in the video near the end of the story.)
Even after the legislator retracted her original accusation, it remained widely published in national headlines and news reports.
81. July 21, 2019
An MSNBC contributor and law professor falsely tweets that Fox is not going to show upcoming Congressional testimony by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller on the Trump-Russia investigation. When the error is pointed out, the contributor says she was just kidding and deletes her tweet--but not before it has been "liked" and "retweeted" thousands of times.
82. Aug. 2019
Multiple news outlets including CNN and MSNBC falsely reported that an illegal immigrant had her nursing baby ripped from her arms. The mother was not lactating, CNN later acknowledged.
83. Aug. 28, 2019
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell apologizes for and retracts anonymous, unverified claims stating that Trump had loans with Russian co-signers. At last view, it appeared that far more people had seen or remarked on the initial information than the apology.
The now-deleted original tweet by O'Donnell stated: "A source close to Deutsche Bank says Trump's tax returns show he pays very little income tax and, more importantly, that his loans have Russian co-signers. If true, that explains every kind word Trump has ever said about Russia and Putin."
84. Aug. 28, 2019
Ken Dilinian of NBC News corrects a false report he and others disseminated claiming that starting October 29, "children born to U.S. service members outside of the U.S. will no longer be automatically considered citizens. Parents will have to apply for citizenship for their the [sic] children in those situations."
85. Sept. 7, 2019
CNN and nearly every major media outlet criticized President Trump for tweeting that Alabama would likely be impacted by Hurricane Dorian. They claimed that was never the case. However, Trump was correct that multiple official hurricane advisories had put Alabama in a projected impacted area.
Watch for yourself.
There is no record of any corrections to these incorrect news stories. In fact, there are multiple follow ups repeating the false claims that Alabama was never in a projected path, and doubling down on the claim that Trump was inaccurate.
Rather than admit an error, some news outlets skirted the issue, parsing probabilities, "would" vs. "could," the National Weather Service vs. the National Hurricane Center, and whether tropical storm force winds really qualify as hurricane effects.
 (Above: Politico title) (Above: New York Magazine Intelligencer title)
86. Sept. 10, 2019
Citing anonymous sources, CNN and the New York Times reported-- and other media repeated-- claims that the CIA had to remove a top U.S. spy from Russia in 2017 because of concern over President Trump's handling of classified information.
The CIA, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and the White House strongly refuted the story. Other media, including The New York Times and Washington Post, also contradicted CNN and reported the decision to remove the spy happened before CNN said it did and for different reasons.
[CNN's] reporting is not only incorrect, it has the potential to put lives in danger.
Stephanie Grisham, White House press secretary
CNN's narrative that the Central Intelligence Agency makes life-or-death decisions based on anything other than objective analysis and sound collection is simply false...Misguided speculation that the President's handling of our nation's most sensitive intelligence ? which he has access to each and every day ? drove an alleged exfiltration operation is inaccurate.
Brittany Bramell, CIA Director for Public Affairs
The reporting is materially inaccurate... as a former CIA director, I don?t talk about things like this very often ? it is only the occasions that I think put people at risk, when the reporting is so egregious as to create enormous risks to the United States of America, that I even comment the way I just did.
Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State
At least some of the original stories remained posted a day later without correction, clarification or updating to include CIA's refutation.
87. Sept. 16, 2019
The New York Times publishes an editor's note about its recent storyrecounting a newly-reported accusation about an incident decades ago involving Trump-nominated Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The editor's note discloses for the first time that the Times never spoke to the alleged victim, and that the alleged victim had told friends she had no recollection of any such event. The Times reporters explained that that information had mistakenly been edited out of the story.
88. July 24, 2019
In testimony to Congress, special counsel Robert Mueller puts to final rest the widespread reporting in 2016 originating with Slate.com that claimed a Russian bank server had been illicitly communicating with Trump Tower. When asked about it by a member of Congress, Mueller replied that "my belief at this point is...not true."
89. July 29, 2019
Vox.com's Aaron Rupar tweeted that Trump suggested he was a "9/11 First Responder." In fact, Trump stated the opposite: "I'm not considering myself a first responder."
90. Sept. 25, 2019
The Washington Post, quoting anonymous sources, reported that President Trump's Director of National Intelligence threatened to quit over an alleged whistleblower issue.
 Daily Beast headline
However, DNI Joseph Maguire issues a statement indicating the Post article was entirely false. "At no time have I considered resigning my position since assuming this role," wrote Maguire in a statement.
91. Sept. 25, 2019
The Daily Beast and other media outlets reported that President Trump asked the President of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, eight times in one phone call.
 Daily Beast headline
However, the released transcript notes reveal Trump mentioned Biden's son (not by name) one time. However, many in the media claimed the "eight times" allegation was really true because they counted each phrase in which Trump referred to possible corruption or the need for some sort of investigation.
(There are other areas of possible mistaken reporting regarding the same phone call, but they are generally subject to interpretation.)
92. Sept. 29, 2019
CBS News's 60 Minutes reports "the government whistleblower who set off the impeachment inquiry of President Trump is under federal protection because they fear for their safety."
Shortly after that report, the attorney for the unnamed "whistleblower," Mark Zaid, tweeted out a statement that read: "NEWS ALERT: 60 Minutes completely misinterpreted contents of our letter." (Sixty Minutes says it stands by the Scott Pelley report.)
93. Sept. 30, 2019
When a black girl claims white boys at school held her down, cut off her hair and called her "nappy" and "ugly," the story makes national news. Multiple news outlets improperly report some details as if they are established as true, without proper attribution. For example, NBC writes, "The attack happened Monday..." and "The second boy grabbed her arms, while the third cut off some of her dreadlocks." A local NBC affiliate writes: "...she was at recess and about to go down a slide when one of the boys grabbed her and put a hand over her mouth. Another boy grabbed her arms. A third boy cut off some of her hair." CBS writes, "The incident took place..." (as if an incident had been factually established rather than was an allegation).
Many news reports also connect the attack to President Trump's Vice President, Mike Pence, by stating that the "attack" happened at "a Christian school in Virginia where Vice President Mike Pence's wife works."
However, it turns out there was no attack or "incident." Three days after the initial reports, the child's family reported the whole story was made up, and they apologized.
94. Oct. 13, 2019
ABC airs video purportedly showing a "slaughter" and "horrific report of atrocities" against Kurds by Turkey after President Trump withdrew U.S. troops. (The video is not combat video at all. It is file tape of a training show in the U.S.)
ABC tweets out the following:
CORRECTION: We've taken down video that aired on "World News Tonight" Sunday and "Good Morning America" this morning that appeared to be from the Syrian border immediately after questions were raised about its accuracy. ABC News regrets the error.
95. Oct. 16, 2019
Many major news outlets including Yahoo, USA Today, Roll Call, NBC, ABC and Fox quotes President Trump as saying Turkey's invasion of Syria "is not our problem." In a subsequent correction, NBC and others said, Trump actually said "it's not our border." However, hours after NBC's correction, the initial allegedly false quote remains on Yahoo, USA Today, Fox, Roll Call, the Washington Times and other news sites.
96. Sun. Oct. 27, 2019
Multiple media claims state that President Trump was golfing during the U.S. raid in Syria that captured the head of the Islamic terrorist group ISIS, al-Baghdadi; and that a White House situation room photo had been "staged." It turns out, according to later reports, that Trump had finished golfing and was at the White House during the operation. (Obama White House photographer Pete Souza had apparently originally tweeted out incorrect information on timing.)
97. Nov. 16, 2019
Rampant speculation ensues after a contributor to The Hill claims President Trump visited Walter Reed National Medical Center due to chest discomfort. A White House statement from Trump's physician issued two days later stated that was not the case.
"Despite some of the speculation, the President has not had any chest pain, nor was he evaluated or treated or any urgent or acute issues. Specifically, he did not undergo any specialized cardiac or neurologic evaluations," the president's physician stated.
98. Nov. 19, 2019
London's Daily Mail posts a sensational headline during the impeachment hearings against President Trump. It claims that a key witness, Ambassador Kurt Volker, had "walked back" his testimony in a way that was detrimental to Trump. When Volker was asked, in real time at the hearing, if the Daily Mail headline was correct and he had, indeed, changed his testimony, Volker stated that no. The headline was wrong.
99. Nov. 19, 2019
Agence France Press publishes a sensational story saying that more than 100,000 children are being held in migration-related detention in the U.S. under President Trump. It turns out that was the number in 2015 under President Obama.
Part II of an exhaustive...
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