Trump Topped 8,000 Falsehoods Or Distortions In 2 Years, Fact-Checker Says

President Donald Trump racked up more than 8,000 misleading or downright false statements in the first two years of his term, according to a newly released tally.

The Washington Posts Fact Checker puts the grand total of Trump whoppers from Inauguration Day to Jan. 20, 2019, at 8,158 Pinocchio-worthy statements . Tellingly, more than 6,000 of the falsehoods were made during the last year.

While Trumps untruths are routine, the increasing numbers foreshadow the next election, The New York Times Astead Herndon told CNN on Monday.

We know when this president comes under pressure, he usually lashes out and every time he leans into kind of his own messaging or off-the-cuff messaging, we get more and more falsehoods, Herndon said. Trump then uses those distortions to rile up his base and to whip up votes for 2020.

President Trump said more than 6,000(!) untrue things in 2018 | Analysis by @CillizzaCNN https://t.co/MtyOD7SQJx pic.twitter.com/wi0qZs3y9l

CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) January 22, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"CNN Tonight","author_url":"https://twitter.com/CNNTonight","cache_age":86400,"description":"President Trump said more than 6,000(!) untrue things in 2018 | Analysis by @CillizzaCNN https://t.co/MtyOD7SQJx pic.twitter.com/wi0qZs3y9l CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) January 22, 2019\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DxfEmOcVsAArYTJ.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"CNN Tonight on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/CNNTonight/status/1087554003699781632","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5c46c50de4b0bfa693c68e9f","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/trump-fact-check_n_5c46c50de4b0bfa693c68e9f","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,the-washington-post,trump-lies,fact-checker","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":4},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5c46c50de4b0bfa693c68e9f","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"relegenceId":2789214,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"The Washington Post","slug":"the-washington-post","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/the-washington-post","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/the-washington-post","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/the-washington-post"},"relegenceId":3465967,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Media","slug":"media"},"topic":{"title":"The Washington Post","slug":"washington-post","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/washington-post"},{"name":"trump lies","slug":"trump-lies","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/trump-lies","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/trump-lies","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/trump-lies"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"fact checker","slug":"fact-checker","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/fact-checker","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/fact-checker","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/fact-checker"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/fact-checker"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

President Trump said more than 6,000(!) untrue things in 2018 | Analysis by @CillizzaCNN https://t.co/MtyOD7SQJx pic.twitter.com/wi0qZs3y9l
CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) January 22, 2019

CNNs Chris Cillizza, with his own interpretation of the data , noted that Trumps narrative of his presidency is out of line with the truth, yet his backers dont seem to mind.

Its not close to what objective fact is, but we know from now years of experience that that doesnt really matter to at least a significant chunk of people who support Donald Trump , Cillizza said.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

In the end, the presidents goal is creating a favorable image of himself, Cillizza argued.

He tells himself a story of his life. Whether or not that story comports with facts is not his main concern. The main concern is that he looks tough, strong and that hes winning.

The Post found that Trumps most-used inaccurate claims concern special counsel Robert Muellers Russia probe, his tax cut and his overblown estimate of the U.S. trade deficit.