Time Magazine’s Mistake on Trump’s Debate Statement
Time Magazine recently had to take a step back after publishing an incorrect claim about former President Donald Trump’s statements during the debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. They originally accused Trump of making things up when he said that Harris supports taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for illegal immigrants in prison. But, after a lot of backlash, they corrected their error.
The Debate Exchange and Public Reaction
During the debate, Trump boldly claimed that Harris “wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens in prison.” This statement sparked immediate responses from the media and public alike, with many quick to label it as false or exaggerated. However, supporters defended Trump’s statement by referencing Harris’s past views on similar issues.
WATCH:
Kamala Harris’s 2019 Questionnaire
Back in 2019, while she was campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, Harris filled out a questionnaire where she expressed support for taxpayer-funded gender transition treatments for detained immigrants. This questionnaire has resurfaced now, backing up Trump’s comments from the debate.
The ACLU Questionnaire Findings
A report from CNN revealed that in a 2019 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) questionnaire, Harris shared her progressive views on several important issues. She called for reducing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and even cutting ICE funding. Notably, she also supported providing gender transition surgeries to detained immigrants and federal prisoners.
This ACLU questionnaire came back into focus when Harris became the presumptive Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2020. Interestingly enough, other candidates’ responses were not highlighted in the same way. Despite changes in her political messaging over time, Harris insists her core values haven’t shifted—though her campaign hasn’t clarified if she still stands by these stances.
Media Backtrack on Reporting
Initially, Time magazine reported Trump’s claim as unfounded and false. Many media outlets quickly followed suit with this dismissal. However, once fact-checkers pointed out the details from the 2019 questionnaire, Time found itself needing to reassess its position. On Wednesday, they issued a correction at the bottom of their article acknowledging their mistake.
The original version of this story mischaracterized as false Donald Trump’s statement accusing Kamala Harris of supporting ‘transgender operations on illegal aliens in prison.’ As a presidential candidate in 2019, Harris filled out a questionnaire saying she supported taxpayer-funded gender transition treatment for detained immigrants.
The Narrative Against Kamala Harris
The narrative being built around Kamala Harris is one of a progressive champion who isn’t afraid to embrace controversial policies like gender transition treatments for detained immigrants. This is part of Trump’s strategy to portray her as out of touch with what most Americans believe.
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