A Trump campaign official left a CNN host stunned by claiming Trump has never lied to the American people
- CNN host Chris Cuomo on CNN's Prime Time Wednesday night challenged Trump campaign press secretary Kayleigh McEnany about false statements by President Donald Trump.
- In response to the question ""You don't think the president has lied to the American people? He has never lied to the American people?" McEnany said "No."
- According to PolitiFact around 70% of the president's public statements are false, mostly false, or lies.
- Defenders say that Trump's jokes and hypothetical statements are misconstrued as lies.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
CNN host Chris Cuomo was left incredulous Wednesday night when Trump campaign press secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed that the president has never lied to the American people.
During an exchange on CNN's "Prime Time" Wednesday night, McEnany defended the president from Cuomo's charge that he routinely lies.
Cuomo accused Trump of lying in the course of a dispute with McEnany over a tweet where Trump complained that Fox News "isn't working for us any more."
"He doesn't lie," McEnany said in response. "He doesn't lie. Guess who lies, the press lies."
Cuomo pressed her on the claim: "You don't think the president has lied to the American people? He has never lied to the American people?"
"No, I don't think the president has lied," McEnany said. Shortly after, Cuomo cut short the interview after McEnany's assertion.
"This interview is over, Kayleigh," Cuomo said. "If you can't admit that this president has lied to the American people, you will not have credibility with this audience. You have a long way to go, Kayleigh."
Before he could end the interview, McEnany shot back that Cuomo should "take a look in the mirror." He responded, "I do, and I don't like these lines, but I do like that I don't lie to my audience every damn chance I get."
According to PolitiFact, about 35% of the president's statements the site has fact-checked are false, 21% are mostly false, while 14% are 'pants on fire' false - or clear lies. The Washington Post's fact checking team has documented 12,000 false or misleading claims made by the president during his term in office so far.
McEnany's defence of the president echoed that of White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who, asked Wednesday the president ever lies, replied: "no."
"I don't think they're lies... I think the president communicates in a way that some people, especially the media, aren't necessarily comfortable with," she said.
"A lot of times they take him so literally. I know people will roll their eyes if I say he was just kidding or was speaking in hypotheticals, but sometimes he is."