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MSNBC’s Velshi and Ruhle didn’t mince words when talking about Trump’s trade war with China. The MSNBC hosts directly said that Trump and his administration are lying about the US trade deficit with China.

Video of MSNBC’s Velshi and Ruhle:

This is how you handle a Trump lie. Courtesy of MSNBC's Velshi and Ruhle. https://t.co/1Hujh5C6zC pic.twitter.com/GWpKgP2Cq5 — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) April 4, 2018

Trump China Trade Deficit Lie

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Ali Velshi said, “Lot to discuss here. We want to remind the administration that, no, despite the fact the president and Wilbur Ross have said so, we do not have a $500 billion trade deficit with China. We have a trade deficit. China does import $500 billion worth of goods — or export $500 billion worth of goods into the United States, but the U.S. Exports to China slash that to $375 billion. I’m not sure why, Stephanie, the president continues to say it is a $500 billion trade deficit. It just weakens the argument because we have to tell you that, once again, the President Of The United States is lying.”

Stephanie Ruhle added, “Lying. As is Wilbur Ross. We should remind you, the trade deficit has only grown since President Trump has been in office. Let’s hop into the back. The time machine to last month. The president famously declared on Twitter, trade wars are good and easy to win. Let’s look at how good this sucker is going. Overnight, China announced a $50 billion worth of tariffs on American goods. It shows a targeted effort to hurt Trump country. Here are just a few of the sectors hit with 15% or 25% tariffs. First up, soybeans. It is our second biggest export to China. Eight of the ten soybean producing states voted for President Trump in 2016. Car exports. Top ten U.S. Export to China. Midwestern states were the key to the president’s election victory. And beef exports, all part of China continuing to hit U.S. agriculture.”

There have been volumes of discussion in journalism circles and newsrooms about when it is appropriate to use the word when describing a Trump statement. MSNBC’s Velshi and Ruhle showed how it should be done. It is vital that news organizations go beyond reporting that Trump lied. Newsrooms must also take the time to provide the supporting facts to inform viewers so that they will be inoculated against future Trump repetitions of the same lie.

Velshi and Ruhle are consistently informative, and at a time when Trump is tanking the investment and retirement accounts of the American people, facts matter more than ever before.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.