Fact Check: Trump's tales of duct-taped women and prayer rugs at US-Mexico border

[Judi Lynn]

An internal administration inquiry turned up no evidence of Trump's claim.

By Quinn Owen and Matt GutmanJan 30, 2019 4:15 PM ET

In his battle for a border wall, President Donald Trump has repeatedly told colorful and at times disturbing stories to make his case. Two, in particular, involving duct tape and prayer rugs, have attracted so much attention administration officials reportedly launched an urgent effort to find evidence to support the president’s claims.

But no evidence has been found - of either migrants using prayer rugs at the border or smugglers using duct tape on women to traffic them –- according to an administration official who spoke to ABC News on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly.

It appears Trump's Hollywood movie-style descriptions of human trafficking at the border, at this point, are closer to fiction than fact.

“Duct tape all over the place”

Trump's most recent re-telling of the duct tape story came Friday in the Rose Garden as he announced a temporary end to the government shutdown. He argued Democrats need to wake up to the horrors at the border, and again launched into an ad-libbed, graphic account he’s told with relish at least 14 times this month.

More:
https://abcnews.go.com/beta-story-container/Politics/fact-check-trumps-tales-duct-taped-women-prayer/story?id=60723806

[ck4829]

1. Jesus, how long before someone 'finds' the plan from George Soros to infiltrate the border?

[Ohiogal]

2. This idiot can't tell fact from fiction!

Why the hell is he in the WH! He should be in an insane asylum!

[Cicada]

3. Duct tape does nothing to silence someone

You can still scream or talk. It only happens in movies. See https://gizmodo.com/putting-duct-tape-over-a-persons-mouth-does-absolutely-5951128