Today, in a hypocritical move that might have been funny if it weren’t so deeply offensive, admitted sexual assaulter and accused child rapist President Donald Trump appeared at a woman’s event in New York City to give a speech.
The White House called it a “conversation with Women of America,” although “the president ranting at the Women of America” would have been more accurate.
Not surprisingly, the avowed misogynist failed to offer any kind of substantive rhetoric on women’s issues, instead choosing to ramble on about a string of unrelated pet topics. He seized the opportunity to stroke his own ego and tout the imagined accomplishments of his administration.
First, he reiterated his disingenuous claim that he has been a great president for Black Americans. Then, he bragged about his regressive tax bill, mischaracterizing it as a gift to the middle class rather than the massive handout to the super rich that it actually constitutes.
He also made the completely fabricated and unfounded claim that a Democratic victory in 2016 would have caused the markets to tank by 50%.
Trump is at a women's event talking about… [checks notes] …. the black unemployment rate and tax cuts? pic.twitter.com/7uZMDIif2q
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 16, 2018
President Trump then made an odd pivot to discuss drug policy, an issue which he neither understands nor has any reasonable suggestions for fixing. He said that some areas of the world take care of their drug problems with “very, very tough measures,” which is presumably an oblique reference to Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte who has been waging a homicidal campaign against his own population, ordering his police to kill people suffering from drug addiction.
Trump has been very warm towards Duterte in the past, and his continued fetishization of brutality is disturbing and indefensible. The fact that an American President is praising, even in subtle terms, a campaign of bloodshed like that being waged by Duterte and his minions should be shocking, but unfortunately, it’s exactly the kind of thing we’ve come to expect from President Trump.
Now Trump is telling the women's event about… [checks notes again]…. the "very tough measures" other countries (read: Duterte) are taking to crack down on drug dealers pic.twitter.com/JOfQHWYPmI
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 16, 2018
TRUMP: Drugs are bad and are ruining our country, but with that being said, thanks for coming to this women's empowerment event ladies! pic.twitter.com/ljOtHTFOOO
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 16, 2018
The entire unhinged rant is deeply shameful, and just the latest in a string of disgraceful speeches given by Trump. Given his past abuse of women, he should have been too ashamed to show up at an event like this, but it’s become abundantly clear that Trump is pathologically incapable of shame.
