Did President Trump completely fabricate an anecdote about his predecessors' support for the wall?
Vice President Mike Pence was asked this question Tuesday after President Trump claimed last week that "some" past presidents have privately told him they wish they had built a border wall during their administration, only for every living former president to come out with statements denying that any such conversations took place.
When NBC's Hallie Jackson asked Pence about this in an interview, he responded, "I know the president has said that that was his impression from previous administrations." From there, he cited public comments from the former presidents, not one-on-one conversations like Trump was referencing.
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.
"I know I've seen clips of previous presidents talking about the importance of border security, the importance of addressing the issue of illegal immigration," Pence said.
The vice president faced essentially the same question in another interview Tuesday morning, with ABC's Jonathan Karl asking Pence why Americans should believe Trump when he constantly says things that aren't true, with this claim about past presidents being an example. This time, Pence seemed to suggest that even if what Trump said is false, it doesn't matter.
"The American people aren't as concerned about the political debate as they are concerned about what’s really happening at the border," he said. Watch Pence's comments on Today below. Brendan Morrow
-
Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocratFeature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
-
Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
-
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlockFeature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in OregonSpeed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsionSpeed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
