No, Donald, the father of our country is not pleased with you. Not pleased at all.Martin H. Simon/CNP via ZUMA

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We all know that Donald Trump has a tortured relationship with the truth. What’s less remarked on is the fact that Trump has basically admitted over and over that he lies:

“People will just believe you. You just tell them and they believe you.”
          To Billy Bush after Bush called him out for inflating his ratings.

“I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.”
          At a rally in Iowa.

“You know why I do it? I do it to discredit you all and demean you all so when you write negative stories about me, no one will believe you.”
          To Lesley Stahl, explaining why he constantly attacks the press.

“I call it truthful hyperbole.”
          From The Art of the Deal.

Trump told one ally this week that he wanted “to brand” the informant a “spy,” believing the more nefarious term would resonate more in the media and with the public.
          Explaining why he falsely insisted that Stefan Halper was a “spy.”

“They may have been phony in the past, but it’s very real now.”
          After his inauguration, admitting that he lied about unemployment figures.

There’s at least one quote I need to add to this list. Late in the campaign, I think, Trump admitted to a reporter that the whole “Mexico will pay for it” thing was solely about getting a rise out of his audience when his rallies flagged a bit. But I can’t find it. Maybe somebody else remembers this.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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