Trump’s false claim that the rules for whistleblowers were recently changed

“WHO CHANGED THE LONG STANDING WHISTLEBLOWER RULES JUST BEFORE SUBMITTAL OF THE FAKE WHISTLEBLOWER REPORT? DRAIN THE SWAMP!”

— President Trump, in a tweet, Sept. 30, 2019

This all-caps tweet is emblematic of the anger expressed by President Trump as the House’s impeachment inquiry goes forward, on the basis of a whistleblower complaint about his efforts to persuade the Ukrainian government to investigate a potential 2020 rival, former vice president Joe Biden.

It also is emblematic of how inaccurate news flows into the president’s Twitter account. A speculative article on a conservative website provided fodder for talking points by presidential allies on television, which in turn caught the attention of the president. Then the president stretched the claim even further into a Four-Pinocchio statement.

Let’s explore.

View the complete September 30 article by Glenn Kessler on The Washington Post website here.