Donald Trump’s Assault on Truth Faces a Critical Test with Voters

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The legend of the cherry tree may be too good to be true, but one thing is certain: George Washington valued honesty. In his farewell address, he emphasized the importance of truth in both public and private matters, stating, “I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is the best policy.”

Decades later, another president, Abraham Lincoln, gained a reputation for his truthfulness and earned the nickname “Honest Abe.”

On the other hand, Donald Trump, during his presidency, faced scrutiny over his business dealings in Moscow. In 2016, he adamantly claimed, “I have nothing to do with Russia.” However, when evidence emerged of his prolonged efforts to build a luxury tower there, he changed his tune, suggesting that only a fool would pass up such an opportunity to serve as president while pursuing personal interests.

“Why should I lose out on numerous opportunities?” Trump questioned.

Throughout history, America has witnessed leaders who were less than truthful, but none have waged a war on truth as consistently and on as many fronts as Trump. As a candidate and president, he mastered the art of using broadcast and social media platforms to amplify his distortions, successfully convincing a significant portion of the American public.

Now, as Trump seeks a second term while facing federal charges, the nation braces itself for another campaign marred by falsehoods and misinformation. It is not inconceivable that a well-documented purveyor of falsehoods like Trump could be reelected, either because voters believe his lies or simply do not care.

“This is an unprecedented moment. We have not faced a situation like this before,” remarked Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Jamieson highlighted that previously, it was assumed that certain lies—lies that undermine faith in democracy or the judicial system—would disqualify anyone seeking public office. “If claiming the election was rigged does not fall into that category, then what does?” she questioned.

During his candidacy, Trump made misinformation a central campaign tactic, regularly employing falsehoods to demean his opponents. For instance, he baselessly suggested that Ted Cruz’s father may have played a role in the Kennedy assassination. Today, Cruz remains an unapologetic Trump supporter.

As president, Trump misled the American public on various matters, including economic indicators, hurricanes, climate change, and his own past actions and meetings with foreign leaders. Amidst the pandemic, he downplayed the severity of the coronavirus while endorsing unproven remedies.

In today’s fragmented information landscape, fact-checking efforts by journalists often fail to reach those who accept Trump’s words as gospel. However, there are signs of change, according to a Republican strategist who believes that the party is awakening to Trump’s alternative reality.

“To me, he’s a tragic 77-year-old individual who is completely disconnected from reality, constructing his own version of it,” said Craig Fuller, who served in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Fuller believes the large field of Republicans vying for the GOP endorsement indicates a desire for a more honest alternative, although it also increases Trump’s chances of winning.

“I find it almost too perilous to consider,” Fuller remarked when asked to envision a second term for Trump.

A request for comment from Trump’s campaign went unanswered on Friday.

Throughout his presidency, Trump’s falsehoods reached staggering numbers—whether in person, on TV, or on Twitter. Tallying his lies quickly surpassed 100, then 1,000, then 10,000, and ultimately 30,000. A Wikipedia page was even created solely to document his false statements.

Elections and voting were the most frequent targets of Trump’s untruths. Despite winning the 2016 race, he claimed it was rigged because he lost the popular vote. Similarly, he declared the 2020 election rigged even before it took place, suggesting that cheating was the only way he could lose. However, his claims were repeatedly rejected by dozens of courts, including those presided over by judges he himself appointed.

It is Trump’s lies about democracy, the integrity of elections, and the courts that deeply concern experts in voting, politics, and history.

“It’s not the first step, it’s the hundredth step on the road to despotism,” warned Jeffrey Engel, director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University, regarding Trump’s attacks on judicial independence and law enforcement. Engel noted that while conflicts between presidents, Congress, and the courts are inherent to American government, no previous president has openly defied another branch of government to the extent Trump has.

Months prior to the January 6 attack on the Capitol, Trump consistently spread false claims about rigged elections, mail-in voting, and fraudulent ballots. He did little to disperse the violent crowd that subsequently stormed the Capitol. A congressional investigation into the attack concluded that Trump conspired to overturn the election.

To activists working to strengthen American democracy, the violent insurrection served as a stark reminder of the perils of allowing lies to replace truth.

“On January 6, we were reminded of the fragility of our democracy,” said Nathan Empsall, an Episcopal priest leading Faithful America, a nonprofit organization critical of attempts to rewrite the history of that day. “If we fail to remember what happened, we may not be able to defend against similar threats in the future.”

Although Trump may exemplify the current era of misinformation, the roots of distrust and political polarization extend beyond any one individual. These issues stem from deep societal divisions and economic pressures, according to Nealin Parker, executive director of Common Ground USA, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging America’s political divide.

“People often seek a single solution, hoping that if we eliminate a particular political leader, everything will be fine,” Parker noted. “But it’s not that simple.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE — David Klepper has been covering misinformation for The Big Big News since 2019.

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• Analysis: Donald Trump’s war on truth confronts another test with voters