Sarah Wasko / Media Matters
Media Matters surveyed President Donald Trump’s 2,276 tweets from the first year of his presidency from January 20, 2017, until January 16, 2018, and found that at least 23 percent (522 tweets) contained fact-checked false claims or misinformation and at least 27 percent (628 tweets) attacked his perceived enemies. The media was frequently a focal point of Trump’s Twitter activity; he attacked mainstream media outlets, scrutinized specific stories that criticized him, and praised Fox News’ coverage. Democrats were a consistent target as Trump often referred back to the 2016 election, attacked congressional investigations of his campaign’s connections to Russia, and complained that Democrats in Congress were “obstructing” his agenda.
Here is a breakdown of these patterns of misinformation he pushed, who he attacked most in his first year as president of the United States, and who Trump mentioned or retweeted the most.
Top 5 false narratives tweeted by Trump
Trump frequently pushed misinformation throughout the year, largely around five main narratives:
1. In 248 tweets, Trump attacked the credibility of mainstream media outlets. Trump’s campaign against mainstream media took various forms: He called outlets “dishonest,” smeared the press as the “fake news media” when they reported on stories he didn’t like, questioned polls that had unfavorable results, and claimed specific reports or stories were false without evidence -- almost all of which have held up under scrutiny.
Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018
Another false story, this time in the Failing @nytimes, that I watch 4-8 hours of television a day - Wrong! Also, I seldom, if ever, watch CNN or MSNBC, both of which I consider Fake News. I never watch Don Lemon, who I once called the “dumbest man on television!” Bad Reporting.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2017
If the people of our great country could only see how viciously and inaccurately my administration is covered by certain media!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2017
2. In 92 tweets, Trump claimed the 2016 election was rigged against him. Trump repeatedly claimed that outside forces had worked in favor of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the election. In the first year of his presidency, Trump tweeted that the news media and social media had a pro-Clinton bias, that the FBI and DOJ “exonerated” Clinton during the investigation of her emails as a political favor, that Clinton colluded with Russia, that then-President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump’s campaign, that Obama did not investigate Russian election interference because he did not want to negatively impact Clinton's chances of winning, and that millions of fraudulent votes were cast. There is no evidence to support any of these claims.
Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018
From @FoxNews “Bombshell: In 2016, Obama dismissed idea that anyone could rig an American election.” Check out his statement - Witch Hunt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017
Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my “wires tapped” in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
3. In 70 tweets, Trump pushed misinformation about immigrants and immigration. Trump repeatedly pushed misinformation about immigration to associate immigrants with drugs, human trafficking, and violent crime in the U.S. His tweets have made false, xenophobic claims regarding policy and legal actions throughout the year, such as claiming that sanctuary city policies drive up crime rates and that court actions blocking his travel ban would lead to more violence in the U.S. His tweets about “chain migration” conjured inaccurate images of an unbridled flow of unvetted immigrants into the country. He also falsely blamed Obama-era immigration policies for the growth of gangs. Trump has also smeared existing immigration programs like the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, understating its vetting and application process in order to paint the program as a threat to national security.
We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018
The weak illegal immigration policies of the Obama Admin. allowed bad MS 13 gangs to form in cities across U.S. We are removing them fast!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2017
That's right, we need a TRAVEL BAN for certain DANGEROUS countries, not some politically correct term that won't help us protect our people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
4. In 64 tweets, Trump claimed that news stories about Russian interference in U.S. elections and that investigations into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians are part of a “hoax” and “witch hunt” against him. In most of these tweets, Trump accused Democrats of peddling what he claimed was a false narrative through the mainstream media and in Congress as an excuse for losing the 2016 election. He also frequently claimed that news reports about the investigation and about election interference were part of an effort by Democrats and the mainstream media to undermine his presidential achievements. Attacks like these against news coverage of Russian election interference were part of Politifact’s 2017 Lie of the Year.
The single greatest Witch Hunt in American history continues. There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes. Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018
The single greatest Witch Hunt in American history continues. There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes. Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018
The single greatest Witch Hunt in American history continues. There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes. Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018
5. In 34 tweets, Trump claimed that Obamacare was dead and that instability in the market was the Democrats’ fault. Trump’s misinformation on the state of Obamacare took different forms throughout the year, beginning with misleading claims about premiums, false statements that Obamacare was in a “death spiral,” and finally blaming Democrats for the instability of the insurance market after Trump ended cost sharing reduction payments.
The Democrats ObamaCare is imploding. Massive subsidy payments to their pet insurance companies has stopped. Dems should call me to fix!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2017
If our healthcare plan is approved, you will see real healthcare and premiums will start tumbling down. ObamaCare is in a death spiral!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 24, 2017
ObamaCare is dead and the Democrats are obstructionists, no ideas or votes, only obstruction. It is solely up to the 52 Republican Senators!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017
Trump used his tweets to attack and disparage others 628 times.
Trump attacked mainstream media as a whole 141 times. Trump often referred to mainstream media collectively as “fake news,” “fake news media,” and “dishonest media.” The five outlets he targeted most frequently were The New York Times (40 tweets), CNN (33 tweets), NBC (24 tweets), The Washington Post (16 tweets), and ABC (14 tweets). Some of Trump’s attacks on these media outlets and the “fake news media” were also in conjunction with praise of Fox News Channel and specific Fox programs like Fox & Friends.
While the Fake News loves to talk about my so-called low approval rating, @foxandfriends just showed that my rating on Dec. 28, 2017, was approximately the same as President Obama on Dec. 28, 2009, which was 47%...and this despite massive negative Trump coverage & Russia hoax!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2017
.@FoxNews is MUCH more important in the United States than CNN, but outside of the U.S., CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2017
The fake news media is going crazy with their conspiracy theories and blind hatred. @MSNBC & @CNN are unwatchable. @foxandfriends is great!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2017
.@FoxNews is MUCH more important in the United States than CNN, but outside of the U.S., CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2017
Trump attacked these five individuals by name most frequently: Hillary Clinton (50 tweets), Barack Obama (27 tweets), James Comey (18 tweets), Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer (13 tweets), and Republican Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker (12 tweets). These attacks -- except for those about Corker -- were generally linked to the 2016 election and attempts to discredit Mueller’s investigation.
Crooked Hillary Clinton now blames everybody but herself, refuses to say she was a terrible candidate. Hits Facebook & even Dems & DNC.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 1, 2017
Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just can’t stop, which is so good for the Republican Party. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2017
With all of the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special counsel appointed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 18, 2017
How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media. That is so illegal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017
Top Twitter accounts mentioned and retweeted by Trump
In his first year of presidency, Trump most frequently retweeted and mentioned the Twitter handle of Fox News’ morning show, Fox & Friends (@foxandfriends). His second most retweeted handle was his own (21 retweets). Trump retweeted Fox Business, Fox News, the two networks’ programs, and various Fox personalities more times (88 retweets) than members of his administration and government departments combined (71 retweets), excluding times he retweeted his own handle (21 retweets). Trump also retweeted unverified handles that don't belong to a public figure or entity (33 retweets) almost three times as often as he retweeted elected Republican officials (12 retweets).
Sarah Wasko / Media Matters
Sarah Wasko / Media Matters