Trump Lashes Out at Reporter Who Made the Mistake of Telling Him the Truth

The media has an abysmal record for the way it has covered Donald Trump. From the very beginning of his campaign in 2015, to the present, the press has given Trump far too much latitude to lie and paid way too much attention to his reality show style hype. They really need to remember that their obligation is to the public, and to keeping them informed. Their mission is to present the truth, not an artificial facade of balance. Reporters are not stenographers.

Donald Trump

Trump is a confirmed self-promoter and a pathological liar. His words cannot be relied upon for anything other than evidence of his mammoth ego and infantile obsession with maligning those he regards as enemies. And considering his severe paranoia, there almost everyone is an enemy. Even under ordinary circumstances, these traits would require special treatment by the press to unravel the intentions of such a person in a position of power. But these are not normal times. The presence of a viral pandemic that is putting the lives of millions at risk makes these times unique and perilous.

On Friday morning Trump provided an outstanding example of what makes him such a difficult character to cover. It occurred at the daily press briefing from the White House. Trump actually should not even be attending these briefings. Presumably he would have more important work to do during this crisis, which is why he assigned his Vice-President, Mike Pence, to head the Coronavirus Task Force. But Trump has been showing up every day because it has replaced the ego-stroking cult rallies that he can’t hold anymore due to the risk of them becoming breeding grounds for the virus.

During the briefing, NBC reporter Peter Alexander was called on to ask a question. It all started off fairly mild, but Trump quickly changed his tone into one of reflexive defensiveness and overt hostility. Alexander began by asking Trump if it was possible that his “impulse to put a positive spin on things might be giving Americans a false sense of hope?” That led to this exchange:

Alexander: What do you say to American who are scared though? Nearly 200 dead. 14,000 who are sick. Millions, as you witnessed, who are scared right now. What do you say to Americans who are watching right now who are scared?
Trump: I say that you are a terrible reporter. That is what I say. I think that’s a nasty question. And I think it’s a very bad signal that you’re putting out to the America people.

Seriously? What Trump has to say to scared Americans is that Alexander is bad reporter? That should make the nation feel better (see Alexander’s response below). Ironically, Trump inadvertently confirmed the premise of Alexander’s questions: that Trump is fixated on blanketing the media with his phony rosy scenarios. As a consequence of his tunnel-blindness, Trump simply cannot abide any discussion of the real-world hardships that the American people are enduring. That’s why he lashed out at Alexander’s reference to sicknesses and fatalities. And he rejected the opportunity to send a message of hope to worried citizens.

Trump cultists are fond of disparaging progressives as “snowflakes.” But what is more representative of that label than Trump’s pitiful inability to deal with the facts about the coronavirus crisis, and the reality that people are fearful for themselves and their families? Trump is only concerned about himself and his public image. And the only reason he wants to see this matter resolved is so that it doesn’t affect his prospects for reelection. Consequently, Trump is really the one who has something realistic to fear. And the sort of childish behavior he exhibited at this briefing will only make it more likely that his fears will come true. That’s the good news.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

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10 thoughts on “Trump Lashes Out at Reporter Who Made the Mistake of Telling Him the Truth

  1. Oh, come now! Is it supposed to be news that donnie dungbrain continues to lie, obfuscate and attack members of the press? Now, what would be news that merits a “breaking news” flash notice would have been an honest answer to the reporter’s question.

    • Good grief! While Tennessee Ernie Ford was able to sing, long ago, that “Fightin’ and trouble is my middle name!”, I can only say that “none” is now my middle name. Reminds me of a colleague from years ago, R B Hall. He kept insisting that his paycheck, and other documents, be issued under his initials, so he wrote “R (only) B (only) Hall. His next check came made to “Ronly Bonly Hall”. Maybe I’ll go back to school and become one of those lawyers that affects the custom of “initial-middle name-last name”. I can be A. none Burke….

      • “Ronly Bonly Hall” huh? Good little story. Thanks for that!
        Wonder how he’s doing these days? Still Ronly Bonly? LOL
        I’m grinning now, but will be careful what I put down as my name…smiles!

  2. Mark, you really nailed it!
    MSM really should be ashamed at the lapdogs they so often are. (Did same with Dubya) And they ARE our voice, our ears – they are how the president communicates with the American people that he – & the media – s’posed to work for benefit of. Trump tweets aren’t official communication with the American people — many of us not on Twitter & he just uses it for 1-way diatribe & attacks, nothing presidential about any of his Twitter rants & BS!
    That reporter did ask a nice “softball” question, providing Trump with chance to sound like a good leader & reassure the public that he’s doing something that will make life better somehow, anything would be good. But, he gives stupid none-answer to the guy & comes off like full-blown jackass that he is. No leadership there! Can’t even fake it. I think you’re right as to why he reacts that way, but it scares me to think that he could behave that way in meetings & secret phone calls & such with other world leaders. Who knows what the hell he says? Keeps it all secret, as if he works for himself & not the USofA! Go figure. His paranoia mixes with his own nastiness & the total ass-kissing he is used to from everyone around him. What a big baby!
    The only thing stupider & more of a danger than Donnie “little brat boy” Trump, are those people stupid enuff to vote for him again, now that we’ve seen it & we know what he’s really like outside a campaign rally. Even when we have a really serious, deadly, viral pandemic, he simply has NO CLUE how to lead the people, or our country! If they must vote Trump, just don’t vote! Leave it blank. Write in Weld’s name, or your own – ell, write in your dog’s name, just don’t be stupider than Trump by voting for a paranoid psycho who is clueless how to be leader, Presidential, even in a major crisis! We need far better leadership than he can ever provide in reality situation! And he’s just a big fat pathological liar!

    “REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER!”

  3. Fuck Trump! Saying he is a terrible person and President is both accurate and an understatement!

  4. I just have an opinion that our great morbid narcissist just could not understand or mentally process the question (Trumpelstitskin can no longer think on his feet) and assumed it was some sort of trick or derogatory question and had to respond by lashing out at the reporter and to strike fear into anyone else who would want, in his mind, to be so impertinent.

  5. I agree with everyone’s comments. He takes every opportunity to attack anyone and everyone who appears to question him and his actions as with Peter and so many others, altho Peter did NOT in that news conference in any way. He cannot think on his feet nor can he rise to any occasion to act like a grown up and not a 2 yr. old. His anger issues and instant hissy fits can happen at any moment before he explodes on any subject. He’s the least informed human being nevermind President in history and his constant daily news conferences should be stopped immediately because all they do is give him air time day in and day out with most viewers turning to a different station not carrying his nonsense and lies day in and day out. ENOUGH already. I can’t look at him. I can’t hear his voice. And I surely can’t hear his lies over and over again every single day of my life. I and most Americans can’t stand it. Get him off the air. I wish he’d get the Virus really bad, have to get intibated for a long time then perhaps not make it so he can see how this terrrible disease actually feels with doctors, nurses, first responders, the cleaning staffs, etc . working 24/7 putting their lives on the line without proper PPEs and necessary equipment who are devoted to saving people like him who don’t deserve to be saved! He’s been worthless during this pandemic by ignoring the warnings it was coming back in January then February when he should have been making sure we were prepared with the ventilators, PPE’s and the rest of the stay at home edicts and mask wearing, the social distancing and closing things down. But he’s been worthless from the beginning in any endeavor. I blame him totally. Leave it to him not to think of any of it until we’re watching 10,’s of thousands die and half a million get sick with the Virus. that continues. His total narcissism got us into this.
    And now his obsession with opening the country up within two weeks?? Dear God, all on behalf of his big rich buddies on Wall Street urging him to. He’d rather placate them than people’s health and the reality of this terrible disease that hasn’t even started in the middle of the country and people continue to die in huge numbers every 24 hrs. He needs to get out of Washington as fast as possible and never ever ever be heard from again starting today!
    But he most likely is that he either never read one thing he should have, listened to anyone who passed on the information or didn’t care about the information. since he NO capacity to feel or care about anyone but himself.

    • He only listens to those who praise him ~ blow smoke up his skirt constantly & say his name alot.
      That, or talking about big money $$$. Always listens to the big bucks! $$$ His 1 true love, after himself!

  6. Whole thing ~ very well said!
    Maybe if Ivanka got the virus & fell very ill…? Maybe then he’d understand the pain, worry & sorrow others are going thru?!?
    But, Ivanka has been tested (as has everyone, anywhere near Dipshit Donnie)… & since B4 he called for “stay at home”, Ivanka has been staying safe in nice home with her children. (I’m sure it’s more fun with maids, cook…servants, to do the hard work.) Playing with the children would be new & fun… for a while at least, then giving ’em back to nanny, no doubt.

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