Maddow was not about to take the contradictions lightly, and reiterated her call for the public to pay attention to Trump’s behaviour, advising viewers to “watch what they (the Trump administration) do, not what they say”.

“At this show, we have tried to follow this as best we can, as a general rule from the very first indications we had, that they were always lying to us, every time they talked,” Maddow explained.

“Every time they put someone on TV, including on this show. Every time they were asked for comment, it was always, always, always untrue,” she continued.

In an increasingly hostile political climate which has recently brought news of the persistent erosion of reproductive rights, the suffering and separation of migrant women and children at the Southern border, and racist attacks on the four congresswomen of colour, otherwise known as The Squad, Trump’s incendiary behaviour can be hard to stomach. But, as Maddow points out, it’s vital that we resist becoming desensitised against social injustice, and hold those in power accountable for their actions. But beyond that, we must hold a red flag to the inconsistencies in Trump’s rhetoric, and pay attention to the real stories behind the smokescreen.

Rachel Maddow knows exactly how to deal with Donald Trump’s fake news