Is Donald Trump off his head?
Developments on Day 348 of the Trump Administration:
Trump Compares Manhood with Kim Jong-Un
In a tweetstorm, Donald Trump threatens nuclear war, calls for the imprisonment of a former FBI Director, demands the remaking of US policy on Israel and Palestine, and announces that he is running a “Fake News Media” contest.
Returning from Florida to Washington, supposedly to start work after a week of golfing at his Florida resort, Trump instead began Tuesday by turning on TV and firing a series of Twitter blasts. He continued throughout the day, ending last night with a pat on the back, courtesy of Fox News: “President Trump has something now he didn’t have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny.”
The statement that is receiving the most attention is Trump’s renewed threat of nuclear war if he believes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un desires one. Responding to Kim’s propaganda that he has a “nuclear button” on his desk, Trump responded — seven minutes after a Fox News item on Pyongyang’s statement:
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018
The message, complete with a comparison of masculine prowess, took over an earlier Trump tweet responding to news of North Korea’s reopening of a border hotline with South Korea:
Sanctions and “other” pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not – we will see!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
Attacking Comey and Abedin
But North Korea was only one front for Trump’s battles yesterday. He also continued his diversionary campaign from the Trump-Russia investigation and resumed his attacks on former FBI Director James Comey, whom he fired in May in a vain attempt to curb the inquiry.
In a rambling tweet, Trump called for the detention of Comey and Huma Abedin, a former senior aide to Hillary Clinton, and he invoked the “Deep State” allegation being used to undermine the FBI and Justice Department in their investigations.
Crooked Hillary Clinton’s top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
Threatening Palestine Aid
On Monday, Trump denounced any assistance to Pakistan, as Congress holds up $255 million of a military aid package, by claiming that Islamabad is supporting terrorists.
On Tuesday, he turned to Palestine. Pressing his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Trump added to the US threat at the UN last month to halt aid to any country that objected by focusing on Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza.
It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don’t even want to negotiate a long overdue…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
…peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
Although the tweets are garbled and inaccurate, Trump effectively confirmed that there will be no revival of Israel-Palestine negotiations since Jerusalem — whose status as an international city is meant to be resolved in the final stage of any talks — is now “off the table”.
And That’s Not All
Trump also had time to:
*Proclaim that the “US is watching” protests in Iran;
*Push his “desperately needed WALL” on the US-Mexican border;
*Threaten to break a deal with Democrats to get legislation establishing the right to residency of the “Dreamers”, young immigrants given the opportunity to study and work in the US by the Obama Administration under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive order;
*Proclaim that companies are giving “big bonuses” to workers, without mentioning that some of those companies have also laid off employees, because of the GOP’s tax changes bill passed last month;
*Taken credit for no fatalities from commerical aviation crashes in 2017 — without noting that there have no been fatal incidents since 2009 and no crash of any jet of a major airline since 2001;
*Blast The New York Times, telling it to “get impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent ‘sources’, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY”;
*Announce a competition to name media that he does not like:
I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 o’clock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018
