Follow Donald Trump’s Twitter account long enough and it becomes clear that has a very shallow pool of talking points that he incessantly cycles through. There are no real ideas in play, just a lot of nonsensical blurbs aimed at riling up his base and transparent attempts to swing the focus of the media away from his latest disaster.
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This morning, the president unleashed a flurry of tweets aimed at the “Fake News” media, complaining that the recent job numbers release isn’t getting enough attention because news agencies are “dishonest” and full of “crazed lunatic.” Of course, the reality is far less sinister and far simpler.
Major news outlets aren’t able to focus on the jobs numbers because Trump’s past few weeks have been so deranged and destructive that focusing on a small story like the jobs numbers would be a dereliction of journalistic duty. Things are bad and getting worse for Trump, and the media cannot be expected to ignore that.
Trump is hemorrhaging senior officials left and right, the military has less and less faith in their commander-in-chief, and the president himself is flirting with the idea of unconstitutional and authoritarian action. This administration is in free fall.
With all of the success that our Country is having, including the just released jobs numbers which are off the charts, the Fake News & totally dishonest Media concerning me and my presidency has never been worse. Many have become crazed lunatics who have given up on the TRUTH!…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2019
Nested within this morning’s tweetstorm was that favorite chestnut of Trump’s, the insistence that his administration is doing a historically great job, despite all the overwhelming, obvious evidence to the country. He claimed without proof that well-respected, time-honored publications are now using “non-existent sources” and engaging in “total fiction.” It hardly needs pointing out that Trump himself is the most dishonest man to ever hold the presidency, and so his comments on such matters can be readily dismissed.
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…The Fake News will knowingly lie and demean in order make the tremendous success of the Trump Administration, and me, look as bad as possible. They use non-existent sources & write stories that are total fiction. Our Country is doing so well, yet this is a sad day in America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2019
The president then kicked his rhetoric up a notch by absurdly labeling the “Fake News Media” as the “real Opposition Party” and the “Enemy of the People.” While such anti-First Amendment talk is hardly new for him, it’s still deeply disturbing and a reminder that he has no respect for our democratic institutions.
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….The Fake News Media in our Country is the real Opposition Party. It is truly the Enemy of the People! We must bring honesty back to journalism and reporting!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2019
Trump ended his media Twitter barrage by condemning The New York Times for its coverage of his ill-conceived and hasty decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, ceding the region to our adversaries and abandoning our allies. The tweet was presumably prompted by a story in the Times which reported that National Security Advisor John Bolton has suggested conditions and a delay for the Syria withdraw, contradicting Trump’s original announcement.
In the tweet, Trump obfuscated and waffled as he always does, keeping his plans for Syria vague, if such harebrained impulse decisions can even be called plans.
The president cannot be trusted, fewer and fewer Americans view him as fit for office, Special Counsel Robert Mueller is closing in. Trump knows all of this. Expect more of these pathetic Twitter outbursts going forward, as he runs out of ways to stave off the implosion of his failed administration.
The Failing New York Times has knowingly written a very inaccurate story on my intentions on Syria. No different from my original statements, we will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2019
