Trump’s Latest Tweets on Russia, Conflicts of Interest, and a Bad Restaurant Review Draw Mockery, Condemnation
It’s safe to say the tide is turning against Trump. People are standing up to him. Small steps, a little at a time, but the momentum is there. Americans must ensure it continues.Â
Donald Trump Thursday morning posted three tweets which are drawing immediate mockery and condemnation. The president-elect is lashing out at the growing number of stories detailing how Vladimir Putin and Russian government operatives hacked the election to help Trump win, and the growing number of stories – prompted by his cancellation of a press conference he bragged he would hold today – detailing how he would avoid conflicts of interest as president while retaining his vast business empire.
Trump also posted a tweet lashing out at a bad review of one of his restaurants.
At about 8:30 AM EST Trump posted a tweet, then later deleted and replaced it due to a spelling error, with this:
If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
NBC Nightly News senior news editor and writer Bradd Jaffy points out that the Dept. of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence publicly blamed Russia two months ago, one month before the election, and Trump was informed during one of the few national security briefings he took, in August.
DHS/DNI publicly blamed Russia Oct. 7th. Trump was briefed it was Russia as early as August. https://t.co/UkMeOCqKE6 https://t.co/lG2uffbyNd
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) December 15, 2016
Trump also Thursday morning posted this:
The media tries so hard to make my move to the White House, as it pertains to my business, so complex – when actually it isn’t!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
A Politico editorial director responds:
Transition aides said today’s news conference was delayed because it was so complicated. https://t.co/ZKQERmUPzK
— Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) December 15, 2016
But perhaps the most responses came after Trump took a swipe at VANITY FAIR, which published a scathing review of one of his restaurants. He tweeted this Thursday morning, first (because, priorities):
Has anyone looked at the really poor numbers of @VanityFair Magazine. Way down, big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
LA Times national reporter:
Seems like Trump is going to use the office of the presidency to attack journalists who criticize his private businesses. pic.twitter.com/NK6ZPQNGuO
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) December 15, 2016
A New York Times TV critic took the high road:
Actually pretty sporting of him to give a giant traffic boost to this (superbly written) pan of his own restaurant. https://t.co/8cJdlgy7NN https://t.co/nc6yGAftix
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) December 15, 2016
Here’s how a Rolling Stone contributing editor responded:
The fact that Trump would rather troll Vanity Fair than get briefed on Aleppo is sociopathic. https://t.co/GLqR2BlYS9
— David Kushner (@davidkushner) December 15, 2016
And an MSNBC producer reveals the lingering animosity Trump has against the magazine:
Graydon Carter was the man who 1st said Trump had tiny hands—calling him a “short-fingered vulgarian” (with Kurt Andersen). https://t.co/bDq1IvJ23B
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 15, 2016
Award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright took to Twitter to respond to all three of Trump’s attacks.
On the false “why did the White House wait so long to act” tweet, Wright wrote:
If you want the answer, call @POTUS. If you want to play rhetorical, misdirection games on Twitter, you’re unqualified to lead the country. https://t.co/Vy5rzfG239
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) December 15, 2016
On Trump’s “The media tries so hard to make my move to the White House…complex,” Wright responded:
Complex only for the ethical, #EsteemedElectors. https://t.co/VRl9PK0elJ
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) December 15, 2016
And on Trump’s attack on VANITY FAIR:
Time to read about himself but not intel briefs. Isn’t he ‘like smart’ enough to know himself w/o reading other’s opinion #EsteemedElectors? https://t.co/18PySg7ZkE
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) December 15, 2016
It’s safe to say the tide is turning against Trump. People are standing up to him. Small steps, a little at a time, but the momentum is there. Americans must ensure it continues.Â
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Image by Darron Birgenheier via Flickr and a CC license
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