Trump has made a fool of himself again on Twitter. Will he ever learn?
Trump has a long-standing history of contradicting himself on Twitter – to the point of making a total buffoon of himself.
There is even a sub-Reddit page where users are constantly updating his near daily clashes with reality – and his past.
Shining examples include Trump’s 2013 tweet citing unnamed sources as part of his birther conspiracy theory. “An ‘extremely credible source’ has called my office and told me that @BarackObama’s birth certificate is a fraud,” he tweeted.
An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 6, 2012
Then, in September 2016, he urged his 12.2 million followers not to believe any stories that did not include sources. “Anytime you see a story about me or my campaign saying “sources said,” DO NOT believe it. There are no sources, they are just made up lies!” he tweeted that time.
Anytime you see a story about me or my campaign saying "sources said," DO NOT believe it. There are no sources, they are just made up lies!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2016
Some other favorites include Trump’s many tweets attacking President Barack Obama for time spent on the golf course or on vacation.
@BarackObama played golf yesterday. Now he heads to a 10 day vacation in Martha's Vineyard. Nice work ethic.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2011
When will Obama next go on vacation if he wins the election? The day after.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 12, 2012
This next one is particularly embarrassing, considering the amount of time Trump has actually spent working his first year in office.
Can you believe that,with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf.Worse than Carter
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2014
Fast-forwarding to this week, Trump is at it again – this time tweeting about the looming government shutdown and its potential impact on the military.
“A government shutdown will be devastating to our military…something the Dems care very little about!” he tweeted.
A government shutdown will be devastating to our military…something the Dems care very little about!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018
NBC News fact-checked Trump, reporting that:
In fact, a government shutdown would likely have little impact on members of the military, especially if Congress takes action to minimize the effects as it has in the past….
If elected officials fail to fund the government, a partial shutdown would begin on Saturday, which would require many federal workers to be furloughed and various offices closed. But for members of the military, it would be business as usual. That’s because the government exempts federal employees whose job is considered essential to national security, which includes not only the military, but border patrol agents, doctors, and TSA screeners, among others.
To make matters worse, there is an outstanding Tweet from Trump confirming that he clearly understands how this works.
As NBC News noted:
Trump is well aware of these exemptions. Days before the last shutdown, in 2013, he complained on Twitter that warnings that it would have a significant effect on government functions were “lies” because “all essential services continue,” which seems to directly contradict his current “devastating” rhetoric.
“Here’s the truth, the gov't doesn’t shutdown” http://t.co/Ny6RxVYiP0 via @AP. All essential services continue. Don't believe lies.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2013
Now that the dreaded shutdown has occurred, Republicans were quick to blame Democrats, with Trump hitting his Twitter account Friday night shortly before the vote, tweeting: “Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy.“
Trump went on to have one of his now infamous Twitter-Tantrums early Saturday morning tweeting:
Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess! This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans! #AMERICA FIRST!
True to form, Trump said the opposite – saying the president is to blame in the event of a government shutdown.
Trump was asked who should be “fired” in the event of a shutdown during an appearance on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” on 30 September 2013, shortly before the government shutdown which ran from 1-17 October 2013.
“Well, if you say who gets fired it always has to be the top,” Trump said. “I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top and the president’s the leader. And he’s got to get everybody in a room and he’s got to lead.”
Continuing, Trump stated that further down in history “when they talk about the government shutdown, they’re going to be talking about the president of the United States, who the president was at that time.”
“They’re not going to be talking about who was the head of the House, the head the Senate, who’s running things in Washington,” Trump continued, adding: “So I really think the pressure is on the president.”
VIDEO: @RealDonaldTrump on 2013 government shutdown – The president should get the blame for a government shutdown because "problems have to be solved from the top." #TrumpShutdown #ShitholePresident pic.twitter.com/ZWexl2dUeu
— Democratic Coalition (@TheDemCoalition) January 19, 2018
And here’s a little side note that should concern Trump – as The Hill reported, a government shutdown would have no affect on Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation would continue in the event of a government shutdown, a Justice Department spokesman confirmed to The Hill.
“All employees with the Special Counsel’s Office are considered exempt and would continue their operations in the case of a lapse in appropriations,” Justice Department spokesman Ian Prior said.
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