Trump Appeals for a Little Respect
U.S. president: ISIS attack will have ‘big effect’ on French election
The president of the United States, after 91 turbulent days in office, wants a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Donald Trump is coming up on his 100th day as the country’s chief executive, and he is expressing frustration that many are judging what typically is a “honeymoon period” for presidents in less-favorable way than he is.
In a tweet posted at 6:50 a.m. Friday, Trump lambasted the very notion of the traditional 100 day report card for new presidents, calling it “ridiculous.” He wrote that “no matter how much” he gets done during this span, the “media will kill” those things.
No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot (including S.C.), media will kill!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2017
In the tweet and during a speech Tuesday in Wisconsin, the president contended he has achieved “a lot” during his first three-plus months.
“No administration has accomplished more in the first 90 days — that includes on military, on the border, on trade, on regulation, on law enforcement … and on government reform,” he said during the speech at a tool factory in Kenosha.
Trump notably did not mention his two executive orders banning some Muslims from entering the United States that have been blocked by federal judges, nor the health care overhaul measure he backed that was pulled before a House vote, nor his firing of his first national security adviser, nor federal and congressional investigations of his campaign associates’ possible ties to Russia.
[Analysis: Trump’s Bold Talk Replaced by ‘See What Happens’ Stoicism]
As Trump lobbies for some credit and his senior staff prepares for a week-long 100 days public relations blitz, congressional Democrats are gearing up to thrash the 45th president’s performance.
On a conference call with her Democratic caucus Thursday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said the party will be pushing what she sees as Trump’s broken promises. Pelosi also said Democrats plan to be vocal about Trump’s “lack of leadership and lack of success,” according to a summary of the call provided by her office.
The U.S. president also appeared to appeal to French voters in favor of far-right candidate, Marine Le Pen of France’s National Front party. In another tweet, Trump said “the people of France will not take much more of this” after an apparent terrorist attack there on Thursday. (The Islamic State took responsibility for the gun attack on the Champs Élysées that left one police officer dead and injured two others.)
Trump wrote that the attack, which follows other terrorist attacks there, “will have a big effect on presidential election!”
Another terrorist attack in Paris. The people of France will not take much more of this. Will have a big effect on presidential election!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2017
And around 6 a.m., Trump retweeted a “Fox & Friends” tweet that featured a story detailing an apology tweeted by the editor of the New York Times after the newspaper posted online a photo of the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots at the White House this week that it initially implied showed many players and staff skipped the event in protest of the bombastic president.
But the Times later was informed that a photo from 2015 with then-President Barack Obama included team staff on the South Portico stairs. Those staffers were seated on the South Lawn on Wednesday.
NYT editor apologizes for misleading tweet about New England Patriots’ visit to the White House (via @FoxFriendsFirst) pic.twitter.com/B9CKClnp5M
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) April 21, 2017
Trump also tweeted about the Times’ mistake on Thursday morning, minutes before he was slated to receive his daily intelligence briefing.
Failing @nytimes, which has been calling me wrong for two years, just got caught in a big lie concerning New England Patriots visit to W.H.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2017