34 Scandals Trump Wormed His Way Out Of By Gaslighting The Hell Out Of Us

On Jan. 20, pretty much everyone saw Trump ally Elon Musk do what appeared to be a Nazi salute — twice! Of course, despite what we all saw with our own eyes, Trump and Musk supporters immediately scolded us, saying we hadn't seen what we thought we had, insisting that Musk was simply doing a Roman salute, or, er, saying "My heart goes out to you."

A person in a suit gestures with a serious expression during a public event, standing in front of a backdrop with stars
Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images

And you know what? Maybe Musk wasn't making a Nazi salute (even if he did speak at the far-right National Conservatism Conference in Berlin days later and say that Germans needed to move beyond "past guilt"). Because when you look at a scandal like this in isolation, it is possible for his supporters to create enough reasonable doubt to make you question what you saw.

But here's the thing — Trump and his ilk have had a LOT of scandals like this, and when you take them out of isolation and look at them in totality, they're basically impossible to defend. So, here are 34 times Trump and his supporters tried to tell us we hadn't actually seen what we thought we had:

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1.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: At Trump's 2015 campaign announcement, he called Mexican immigrants “rapists” and criminals.

Person speaking at a podium, gesturing with one hand, flags in the background; text overlay shows their position and the event's title

2.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In 2015, after Washington Post reporter Serge Kovaleski was one of the journalists who debunked Trump's lie that he saw "thousands" of Muslims in New Jersey cheering the 9/11 attacks, Trump mocked Kovaleski by imitating his physical disability. Kovaleski has arthrogryposis, a congenital condition that affects joint movement and muscle development and limits mobility in his arms and hands.

Person holding a sign highlighting the life and struggles of someone with cerebral palsy, criticizing those who mock individuals with disabilities

3.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In July 2015, Trump tweeted an image of himself above soldiers who wore German uniforms of “Waffen-SS,” a Nazi unit.

Collage image: overlay of person, text states a call for leadership and economic focus, with U.S. flag and military imagery in the background

4.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: Following the first Republican presidential debate in 2015, where moderator Megyn Kelly pressed Trump about his past sexist comments (including calling women “fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals”), Trump criticized Kelly in an interview, stating: "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever." This remark was widely interpreted as Trump implying that Kelly was menstruating during her grilling of Trump, leading to more accusations of sexism.

Donald Trump speaks at a debate podium. News ticker reads, "Breaking News: Trump: Megyn Kelly is a lightweight."

5.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In Nov. 2015, Trump retweeted a racist and offensive image showing Jeb Bush next to a swastika. The image also depicted Bush — who is married to a Mexican woman and speaks fluent Spanish — as a mariachi, along with the text: "ADIOS, JEB aka JOSÉ."

Tweet by Donald Trump with a collage of images and hashtags, addressing political figures and media personalities with a farewell message

6.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In Nov. 2015, Trump shared a graphic about crime statistics that falsely claimed the majority of white murder victims were killed by Black people. The statistics were debunked and seemingly originated from a neo-Nazi account.

Infographic titled "USA Crime Statistics ~ 2015" with figures on racial crime statistics, attributed to "Source: Crime Statistics Bureau - San Francisco."

7.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In Jan. 2016, Trump retweeted a Twitter user named “@WhiteGenocideTM.” The user’s handle — as you probably surmised yourself — is explicitly tied to white supremacist ideology, and his feed included links to a website containing a pro-Adolf Hitler documentary and retweets about violence allegedly committed by Black suspects.

Screenshot of a tweet by Donald J. Trump showing a man with a "Vote Trump" sign in front of Trump Tower, mentioning someone named Jeb

8.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In 2016, when Trump was asked if he would publicly reject the support of former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke, Trump initially hesitated to disavow Duke during a CNN interview, stating, “I don’t know anything about David Duke.” This was untrue, as Trump had discussed Duke publicly as early as 1991.

A man in a suit appears concerned; a billboard beside a highway displays anti-Duke sentiment with the text "NO NO DUKE" and a crossed-out swastika

9.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In July 2016, Trump said, "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," referring to Hillary Clinton's deleted emails. This was seen as encouraging a foreign adversary to interfere in the U.S. election.

A person speaking at a podium with flags behind them, featuring a "Trump Pence" sign with the location Miami, Florida

10.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In a chilling moment on the campaign trail in Aug. 2016, Trump warned there would be no way to prevent a President Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices if she were elected, then suggested that maybe "Second Amendment people" could do something to stop it.

A person in a suit is speaking at a rally with a crowd behind them. The event features prominent signs with "Trump Pence."

11.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In Oct. 2016, just weeks before the presidential election, a tape of a private 2005 conversation between Trump and Access Hollywood host Billy Bush leaked, with Trump saying about women, "I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything."

Donald Trump and Billy Bush in a leaked video, discussing inappropriate behavior toward women. Transcript of their conversation is shown

12.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In 2017, Trump retweeted three anti-Muslim videos from a far-right British fringe group. The videos were widely condemned as Islamophobic, and some were later determined to be misleading or fake.

Tweets from Jayda Fransen retweeted by "Donald J. Trump" with videos containing sensitive content about Islam and violence; text content is controversial

13.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In Aug. 2017, Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides" while speaking in the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which was organized by white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and other far-right groups, and resulted in a white supremacist murdering Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old civil rights activist, with his car.

A man at a press conference, gesturing, with text: "Trump: Both sides were violent in Virginia." Flags are visible in the background

14.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: Shortly after the Aug. 2017 Charlottesville rally — where a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, murdering civil rights activist Heather Heyer — Trump retweeted a meme with a train running over a person and the caption, “Nothing can stop the Trump train.” The tweet was widely condemned as insensitive.

Illustration of a train labeled 'Trump' crashing through barriers labeled 'CNN' with a tweet caption, "Nothing can stop the #TrumpTrain!!"

15.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: During the Helsinki Summit on July 16, 2018, Trump sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies regarding Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election by saying, "I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today." and "I don't see any reason why it would be [Russia]."

Two people stand at a press event with flags and a "Helsinki 2018" sign in the background. One holds notes

16.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: At a 2018 meeting with a bipartisan group of senators at the White House, Trump is reported to have called Haiti a "shithole country" and asked, "Why do we need more Haitians? Take them out." He also asked why we couldn't have more Norwegian immigrants. Hmm. I wonder what the difference could be between those nations in Trump's eyes.

A crowd protests, with a central figure holding a sign reading, "President Trump is a bigot!!!"

17.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: During his first term, Trump separated immigrant families and detained children in cages.

Child behind a chain-link fence, wearing a dark jacket, lying down. Image portrays a sense of confinement and introspection

18.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In an August 2018 tweet, Trump called NBA star LeBron James and CNN anchor Don Lemon “dumb” and “the dumbest man on television,” respectively. This received widespread condemnation, with Lemon commenting, “Notice a pattern? The president constantly denigrates people of color and women, too.” He added, “This president trafficks in racism and is fueled by bullying.”

Tweet from Donald J. Trump criticizing LeBron James and Don Lemon, stating LeBron was made to look smart and expressing dislike

19.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In July 2019, Trump tweeted that members of the "Squad" — congresswomen Omar, Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Pressley — should "go back" to their countries of origin, even though most were born in the U.S. New York-born Ocasio-Cortez responded to his widely-condemned tweets with: "You are angry because you can't conceive of an America that includes us, while "Pressley, who was born in Ohio and is black, said, "THIS is what racism looks like."

Tweets from Donald J. Trump on July 14, 2019, suggesting progressive congresswomen go back to their countries

20.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: At a press briefing, Trump recklessly suggested on live TV that injecting disinfectant into the human body could treat COVID-19.

A person at a podium speaks about using disinfectant by injection for cleaning lungs, emphasizing quick effects on the lungs

21.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: On June 28, 2020, Trump retweeted a video of a white man — driving a golf cart with signs reading "Trump 2020" and "America First" — yelling "White power!" at protestors.

Tweet from Donald Trump thanking The Villages in Florida, referencing "Do Nothing Democrats." Video linked of seniors protesting

22.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In 2020, Trump repeatedly referred to COVID-19 as the "Kung Flu" and "China Virus" (often to great applause from his rally crowds). Trump's use of these terms was widely criticized as offensive and racially insensitive and contributed to the anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic.

A person speaking at a rally, wearing a suit with a tie, stands at a podium with a microphone. Crowd with signs is visible in the background

23.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In a debate with Joe Biden in Sept. 2020, Trump dodged the question of whether he would disavow the White supremacist group Proud Boys, instead saying, "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by."

A person speaking at a podium during a televised event, wearing a suit and striped tie, with a blue background featuring text

24.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: One of the most disgraceful and sad moments in American history, when Trump supporters rioted, storming the capitol building and violently attacking police. Many in the crowd chanted "Hang Mike Pence!" for his refusal to not certify the rightful results of the election.

The image shows a man speaking on stage and a crowd indoors, some holding flags. The overlay text is a provocative quote about strength and action

25.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In a 2023 speech, Trump called his political opponents "vermin," saying, "We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country." Adolf Hitler infamously referred to Jews and other groups as "vermin" to dehumanize them.

A public figure speaks at a rally with "Peace Through Strength" and "Trump 2024" signs held by the crowd

26.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In late 2023, Trump said multiple times that undocumented immigrants were "poisoning the blood of our country." This phrase was criticized for echoing Nazi-era rhetoric about racial purity and eugenics.

A person speaks at a podium labeled "TRUMP 2024," surrounded by people holding American flags and "Live Free or Die" signs at a rally

27.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In a Dec. 2023 town hall interview with Fox News, Trump said he would only be a dictator on "day one" of his presidency to implement certain policies. Since we're supposed to live in a democracy and not an authoritarian state, the remark was a worrying red flag for a lot of people.

Man in a suit speaks at a town hall event, attended by an audience. Fox News logo visible. Text: "Exclusive Town Hall with Donald Trump."

28.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In May 2024, Trump shared a video that included text stating he would be responsible for "the creation of a unified Reich." The use of the word "Reich" sparked outcry as it echoed Hitler's referring to Nazi Germany as the "Third Reich."

News footage showing a video from Truth Social referencing "Unified Reich" with an image of Donald Trump smiling in the background

29.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: Throughout his career (notably in May 2018 and April 2024), Trump referred to immigrants as "animals."

A group of officials stands behind a speaker at a podium. Two quotes about immigration and crime are shown in yellow text

30.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: At the 2024 Harris/Trump presidential debate, Trump repeated baseless internet rumors about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, stealing and eating pets.

Two individuals at a 2024 presidential debate, both in formal attire, speaking and smiling

31.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: In Oct. 2024, John Kelly — Trump's former Chief of Staff — told the New York Times that Trump "commented more than once that, you know, that Hitler did some good things, too." Kelly also said Trump meets "the general definition of a fascist."

Two men in suits are in a meeting setting, one speaking and the other attentively listening

32.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: At a rally in March 2024, Trump warned that if he weren't re-elected, it would be a "bloodbath for the country." Many interpreted the term "bloodbath" as a call to political violence.

Person in a suit with a "Make America Great Again" hat speaks at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, with a crowd of people wearing similar hats

33.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: On October 27, 2024, at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made a joke referring to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage" and another about carving watermelons with Black people.

A man speaks at a political rally with a podium displaying "Trump Vance 2024." The crowd holds phones and campaign signs

34.WHAT WE SAW WITH OUR OWN DAMN EYES: Hours after the tragic collision between an airplane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, taking the lives of 67 people, Trump suggested — with no evidence — that DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) hires were responsible for it.

A reporter questions a speaker about a crash, asking about evidence. The speaker, at a press podium, responds by citing common sense