ABC, NBC Falsely Suggest Trump Called Fleeing Bahamians 'Very Bad People'

September 9th, 2019 8:59 PM

Just as they did with President Trump’s comments referring to MS-13 gang members as “animals” in May of 2018, ABC and NBC spent Monday night misrepresenting the President’s comments to suggest he called the Bahamian people fleeing the destruction of Hurricane Dorian “very bad people.”

The comments in question came during a press gaggle Trump gave outside the White House. There he said: “I don't want to allow people that weren't supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States, including some very bad people and some very bad gang members and some very, very bad drug dealers.”

While leading into a segment about the relief effort for the Bahamas for ABC’s World News Tonight, anchor David Muir told viewers the forthcoming report would cover “What President Trump has said about people in the Bahamas who want to get to the U.S. … People who have lost everything desperate to get to safety.

That was actually an echo of the hyperbole Muir delivered during the opening tease of the show. “The humanitarian crisis in the Bahamas. The desperation. And tonight, with President Trump has said about people in the Bahamas who want to come to the U.S.,” he declared.

Meanwhile, on NBC Nightly News, the report given by correspondent Gabe Gutierrez cut out a lot of what Trump said to the press. “I don't want to allow people that were supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States including very bad people,” the soundbite of Trump shared before Gutierrez started speaking over it.

The President appearing to contradict his own agency. The acting head of CBP calling this a humanitarian mission saying, the U.S. plans to expedite the immigration process to let hurricane victims in,” he said while speaking over Trump.

 

 

This misrepresentation of President Trump’s words was similar to what the liberal media did with what he said about MS-13 gang members. You might recall this exchange Trump had during a discussion with those who opposed sanctuary cities:

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: There could be an MS-13 gang member I know about, if they don't reach a certain threshold, I cannot tell ICE about them.

TRUMP: We have people trying to come into the country, trying to come in we're stopping a lot of them, but we're taking people out of the country, you wouldn't believe how bad these people are. These aren't people, these are animals.

According to an ABC News tweet at the time, which is still up and has no apparent correction associated with it, “Pres. Trump refers to some who cross the border illegally as 'animals,' not people. ‘You wouldn't believe how bad these people are.’”

For NBC’s part of that fake news cycle, White House correspondent Peter Alexander touted the Mexican government scolding Trump. “Also tonight, the Mexican government is calling out President Trump for describing some undocumented immigrants as animals Wednesday. Mexico telling the State Department that is unacceptable,” he hyped.

Alexander was skeptical of the MS-13 explanation, saying: “The President insists today that he was talking about MS-13 gang members and says he would call them animals again.”

Different story, same underhanded tactics.

The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read;

ABC’s World News Tonight
September 9, 2019
6:30:36 p.m. Eastern

DAVID MUIR: The humanitarian crisis in the Bahamas. The desperation. And tonight, what President Trump has said about people in the Bahamas who want to come to the U.S.

(…)

6:34:13 p.m. Eastern

DAVID MUIR: And of course, we cannot forget the growing humanitarian crisis growing in the Bahamas tonight, the desperation and the new images coming in. What President Trump has said about people in the Bahamas who want to get to the U.S. No end to the devastation from Hurricane Dorian. People who have lost everything desperate to get to safety. ABC's Marcus Moore tonight in the Bahamas again for us.

(…)

6:34:56 p.m. Eastern

MARCUS MOORE: Many rushing to leave the Abaco Islands. And this morning here in Marsh Harbor, they are still loading cars and people onto this ferry that's headed to Nassau. It’s part of the massive effort to evacuate people from this island left devastated by Hurricane Dorian.

This, after more than 100 evacuees were kicked off a different ferry in Freeport, captured here by WSVN.

FERRY ANNOUNCER: If you're coming to the USA, you'll have problem.

MOORE: Passengers without a visa told to disembark. It's unclear why that announcement was made.

President Trump weighing in on survivors trying to leave.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don't want to allow people that weren't supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States, including some very bad people and some very bad gang members and some very, very bad drug dealers.

(…)

 

NBC Nightly News
September 9, 2019
7:08:44 p.m. Eastern

(…)

GABE GUTIERREZ: In the hard-hit northern Bahamas, thousands like her have escaped by boat. One ferry that went directly to Florida was turned away because Customs and Border Protection says it was supposed to stop in Nassau for visas, which never happened.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don't want to allow people that were supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States including very bad people.

GUTIERREZ [speaking over the rest of Trump’s comments]: The President appearing to contradict his own agency. The acting head of CBP calling this a humanitarian mission saying, the U.S. plans to expedite the immigration process to let hurricane victims in.

(…)