Donald Trump’s campaign trail commentary flows seamlessly but is often vague on specifics, and even facts.
He says he saw “thousands of people” cheering in New Jersey as the World Trade Center towers collapsed in the Sept. 11 attacks. Not true, say local law enforcement and elected officials.
He is open to shuttering mosques, saying there’s “absolutely no choice.” But the 1st Amendment protects the free exercise of religion.
And he has assailed the federal government for accepting “250,000” Syrian refugees. The Obama administration has agreed to allow in at least 10,000 this fiscal year.
It’s become almost standard for Trump in his quest for the Republican presidential nomination: make statements that defy truth, or promises that go beyond the power of the presidency. Yet his rhetoric resonates with supporters, who laud Trump for his blunt and politically incorrect style and have put him atop polls since he announced his candidacy in June.