“The Secretary of Commerce threatened to fire top employees at the federal agency responsible for weather forecasts last Friday after the agency’s Birmingham office contradicted President Trump’s claim that Hurricane Dorian might hit Alabama.”—The New York Times, September 10
“The Secretary of Agriculture threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that the trade war with China would benefit soybean farmers.”—Des Moines Register, September 11
“The Secretary of Labor threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that he has created more jobs than any president in American history.”—Detroit Free Press, September 12
“The Secretary of Homeland Security threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that ‘rapists’ and ‘bad hombres’ are crossing the border from Mexico.”—Dallas Morning News, September 13
“The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that Baltimore is ‘a rat and rodent infested mess.’”—Baltimore Sun, September 14
“The Secretary of State threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un is ‘a very good guy’ and ‘a very smart cookie.’”—San Francisco Chronicle, September 15
“The Secretary of the Treasury threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that the $20 bill should remained unchanged, because ‘Andrew Jackson drew bigger crowds than Harriet Tubman, but mine were bigger than both.’”—Nashville Tennessean, September 16
“The Secretary of Energy threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that carbon emissions are ‘good for the environment, because who doesn’t like it hot?’”—Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 17
“The Secretary of Transportation threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that public buses, trains, and subways are for ‘losers’ who ‘don’t have personal drivers.’”—Miami Herald, September 18
“The Secretary of Veterans Affairs threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that he would have fought in Vietnam, but his bone spurs ‘really hurt, and I mean, a lot.’”—San Diego Union Tribune, September 19
“The Secretary of Health and Human Services threatened to fire top employees who contracted President Trump’s claim that Obamacare is ‘very nasty.’”—Wall Street Journal, September 20
“The Secretary of the Interior threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that the Alaska wilderness should be opened to oil drillers, ‘at least until we buy Greenland.’”—Anchorage Daily News, September 21
“The Secretary of Defense threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that America needs more military parades, ‘just like in France.’”—Washington Post, September 22
The Secretary of Education threatened to fire top employees who contradicted President Trump’s claim that ‘God made the world in six days, but I could do it faster.’”—Chicago Tribune, September 23
Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author (with Emily Robertson) of “The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools” (University of Chicago Press)