Jimmy Carter is baffled by Trump's lies


President Trump has made 2,369 false statements as president as of Tuesday, per The Toronto Star's count. Former President Jimmy Carter thinks he never "deliberately" made any while he was in office.
In a segment of a CBS This Morning interview that aired Tuesday, the former president discussed building houses for Habitat for Humanity — and the current president's untrustworthy track record. While Carter gently reminded viewers that he was "not here to criticize the president," he did have some strong words for Trump's "deplorable" disregard for the truth.
Telling the truth is "pretty deeply ingrained," Carter said of himself. "I think I went through my campaign and my presidency without ever lying to the people or making a deliberately false statement," which makes it "even more deplorable" that President Trump has "abandoned" the virtue. But Carter prefers to pray for the president rather than criticize him, saying he hopes "America will learn from its mistakes" and eventually "elect the best person."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In another snippet of the interview, Carter heaped praise on the late Sen. John McCain for his "commitment to the truth," showing how strongly Carter believes that honesty is the best policy. Watch Carter don a construction hat and discuss the president on CBS This Morning below. Kathryn Krawczyk
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Israel's plan for confining all Palestinians in 'humanitarian city'
The Explainer Defence minister wants to establish zone in Gaza for displaced people – which they would not be allowed to leave – prompting accusations of war crimes
-
Secluded retreats for aspiring writers
The Week Recommends These tranquil hideaways are the perfect place to put pen to paper
-
The Velvet Sundown: viral band that doesn't actually exist
In the Spotlight These AI-generated rock hits are brought to listeners by… no one
-
Iran: Is regime change possible?
Feature The U.S.-Israeli attack exposed cracks in Iran's regime
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
How will Trump's megabill affect you?
Today's Big Question Republicans have passed the 'big, beautiful bill' through Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
How would the Trump administration denaturalize immigrant citizens?
Today's Big Question Using civil courts lowers the burden of proof