FEB. 25, 2015
Mexico “sending criminals.”
Trump tweetsthat Mexico is corrupt and sends criminals over the U.S. border.
APRIL 28, 2015
“Thugs.” In midst of violent reaction to the death of
Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Trump tweets that “thugs” are happily and openly destroying the city.
JUNE 16, 2015
Mexico sending “rapists.”
In the speech announcing his candidacy for president, Trump charges that Mexico is sending rapists and criminals to the U.S.
JUNE 23, 2015
African-American youth “have no spirit,”Trump
told a Republican luncheon in Baltimore, adding “they’ve just about never done more poorly.”
JUNE 30, 2015
“I love the Mexican people,”
Trump tweets,but adding “Mexico is not our friend.”
JULY 1, 2015
Stands by Mexican “rapists” remark.
In an interview with CNN, Trump insists Mexico is sending rapists to America. He does not seem to accept research showing that rapes of women crossing the border are largely done by traffickers.
JULY 5, 2015
Swipe at Jeb Bush’s Mexican-American wife.
In a tweet he later deleted, Trump writes that Bush “has to like the Mexican illegals because of his wife.” Columba Bush was born in Mexico and legally immigrated to the United States.
AUG. 2, 2015
Trump campaign fires aide for use of racial epithet. After saying it found use of a racial epithet to describe African-Americans on his Facebook page, the
Trump campaign fires longtime Trump aide Sam Nunberg. Nunberg denied he wrote such posts.
AUG. 19, 2015
“Passionate” Trump supporters beat Hispanic man.
After two white men indicated Donald Trump inspired them to beat and urinate on a homeless Hispanic man, Trump initially calls it a “shame” but
says his supporters are “passionate.”
He later tweets that the incident was terrible and he does not condone violence.
AUG. 25, 2015
Mimicking Asians? Talking about Japanese and Chinese negotiators,
Trump, seeming to use an accent, says their approach is “we want deal.”
AUG. 26, 2015
Would not want David Duke’s support.
Trump tells Bloomberg he doesn’t want David Duke’s endorsement and doesn’t need any endorsement. Asked if he would repudiate Duke, Trump said, “sure … if it made you feel better.”
NOV. 2015
False statistics about African-Americans.After a black protester chanting “Black Lives Matter” at his Alabama rally was pushed and punched,
Trump tweets (and later deletes) false statistics about the percentage of whites killed by blacks.
Politifact rated one claim as “pants on fire.”
DEC. 3, 2015
Jews as “negotiators.”
Speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition, Trump discussed Israeli-Palestinian talks and then said “I’m a negotiator, like you folks” and “this room negotiates perhaps more than any room I’ve spoken to, maybe more.” (In February,
Trump would tell CNN the “Persians are great negotiators.”)
DEC. 8, 2015
Compares his Muslim ban to Japanese internment, World War II policies.
In an interview with ABC, Trump says his Muslim ban proposal is no different that President Franklin Roosevelt’s orders regarding Japanese-, German- and Italian-Americans during WWII.
FEB. 25, 2016
David Duke supports Trump.
On Facebook,the former Klansman urges his followers to vote for Trump, saying it is “treason to your heritage” to vote for others.
FEB. 26, 2016
Trump disavows David Duke.
At a news conference, Trump says he didn’t know about Duke’s announcement and responds “I disavow. OK?”
FEB. 28 – 29, 2016
Trump non-answer on David Duke.
On CNN,Trump is asked in multiple ways if he condemns David Duke and does not directly answer. The following day,
Trump says thiswas because he had a bad earpiece.
MAY 5, 2016
Taco salad.
Trump tweets photo of him eating a taco salad, tweeting “I love Hispanics” and “Happy #CincoDeMayo.”
MAY 26, 2016
First criticizes Mexican-American judge. In a
San Diego, California speech, Trump criticizes Judge Gonzalo Curiel hours before
Curiel’s court announces he has cleared the public release of some controversial Trump University documents. Trump said Curiel “happens to be, we believe, Mexican.” He also states “Mexicans are going to end up loving Donald Trump.”
JUNE 2-3, 2016
More on judge’s Mexican heritage.Speaking with
the WSJ and
CNN, Trump says Judge Curiel’s Mexican heritage is an absolute conflict in his oversight of the Trump University case and he cannot be fair. On
CBS, Trump calls his inference that Curiel is biased because of his race “common sense.”
JUNE 3, 2016
“My African-American”; Chinese-American support.
In Redding, California, Trump stresses support from African-Americans and points to a black man in the crowd, saying, “Oh l
ook at my African-American over here!” In the speech, he also spoke of support from a group of Chinese-Americans.
JUNE 11, 2016
Misleading claim on black unemployment.In Richmond, Virginia, Trump says he will expand his campaign theme to include “everyone.” Then, around the 25 minute mark, he argues America is in decline, saying “African-American youth is an example: 59 percent unemployment rate; 59 percent.”
Politifact rated the claim “mostly false.”
JUNE 25, 2016
Muslim ban, but not for certain Muslims.
Trump tells reporters with him in Scotland that it wouldn’t bother him for a Scottish Muslim to enter the United States. This, after he had pledged in December
to ban all Muslims from arriving in the U.S.. Advisers try to walk back the comments and say the ban would focus on countries associated with terrorist groups.
JULY 11, 2016
The law and order president. Days after a racially-motivated black
gunman killed five Dallas police officers at a protest march,
Trump gives a Virginia Beach speechsupporting law enforcement, declaring, “I am the law and order candidate” and “the candidate of compassion”.
JULY 12, 2016
Blacks not necessarily wrong about police. In wake of police shootings of black men in Louisiana and Alabama,
Trump tells FOX News that blacks are not necessarily wrong about police mistreatment and that police shootings “could be” part of systemic racism. In the same interview, he criticizes the Black Lives Matters movement.
JULY 15, 2016
“…the South overplayed its hand,” Trump says of the Civil War in
an interview with Time. Trump indicates he thinks the South could have settled without war.
JULY 30, 2016
Ghazala Khan.
Trump questions why Gold Star mother and Pakistani-American Ghazala Khan was silent when her husband spoke at the Democratic convention. “Maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say,” Trump suggested.
Mrs. Khan later said she did not speak because she was overcome by emotion.
AUG. 16, 2016
Direct appeal to African-Americans.
Trump directly asks for African-American votes in a speech about law and order. He vows to protect minorities from immigrants who could take their jobs and accuses Hillary Clinton of bigotry.
AUG. 18, 2016
Appeal to African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump promises “jobs, safety” and “fair, equal representation” to “African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and all Americans.” (Note:
he also expressed regrets for some of his recent words, though did not specify which words.)
AUG. 19, 2016
“What do you have to lose?” Trump asks African-Americans as he argues that Democrats have failed them and they should give him their vote. “You live in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs.” These less-scripted
remarks were in Dimondale, Michigan, which critics pointed out is 93 percent white. He also repeated incorrect statistics about black youth unemployment.