WASHINGTON (AP) — On Thursday morning, as hundreds of federal workers stayed dwelling and confronted potential layoffs due to the federal government shutdown, President Donald Trump acquired proper to work on social media.
He began by sharing reward from supporters. Then he falsely claimed that “DEMOCRATS WANT TO GIVE YOUR HEALTHCARE MONEY TO ILLEGAL ALIENS.” After which he introduced that he would meet together with his high finances adviser to determine the place to make everlasting cuts to federal packages that “are a political SCAM.”
All that was earlier than 8 a.m., only one flurry in a blizzard of on-line commentary from the president as the federal government shutdown entered a second day. Like so many different occasions when he’s confronted complicated crises with no simple options, Trump appears decided to submit his manner by way of it.
The stream of invective and trolling has been outstanding even for a 79-year-old president who’s as chronically on-line as any member of Gen Z. His model is mirrored by the remainder of his administration, which to date appears extra concerned with mocking and pummeling Democrats than negotiating with them.
Authorities web sites function pop-up messages blaming “the Radical Left” for the shutdown, an unusually political message for ostensibly nonpartisan companies. When reporters electronic mail the White Home press workplace, they obtain an automatic reply blaming gradual solutions on “workers shortages ensuing from the Democrat Shutdown.”
Trump’s White Home is accustomed to take-no-prisoners political messaging, persevering with its aggressive model from final yr’s marketing campaign that critics describe as callous and vindictive. The administration hardly ever misses a chance to get below the pores and skin of its opponents.
The president took the same on-line method to the final authorities shutdown, which started in December 2018 and lasted till January 2019 throughout his first time period in workplace. On the thirtieth day of that shutdown, Politico tallied 40 tweets from Trump, together with a grievance that then-Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi was performing “so irrationally” and gratitude for federal workers for “working so exhausting to your Nation and never getting paid.”
Again then, Trump took many of the blame, with an Related Press-NORC ballot displaying about 7 in 10 Individuals saying he had “an important deal” or “fairly a bit” of accountability. He finally backed down from his demand for border wall funding, signed laws permitting the federal government to reopen.
It stays to be seen who will face essentially the most blowback this time. Democrats say they will not vote for any spending laws except it extends well being care subsidies, used to buy insurance coverage by way of the Inexpensive Care Act, which might be scheduled to run out on the finish of the yr. Republicans accuse them of being obstructionist, insisting that authorities operations ought to be funded whereas different insurance policies are negotiated individually.
A current New York Instances/Siena ballot, which was carried out earlier than the shutdown started, discovered barely extra registered voters would blame Trump and Republicans in Congress than Democrats. About one-third mentioned they’d blame each side equally.
There was one other pink flag for Trump in a one-day textual content message ballot carried out Oct. 1 by the Washington Publish. The outcomes confirmed 47% of Individuals saying they thought the president and Republicans in Congress are primarily accountable, in contrast with 30% saying that of Democrats in Congress.
Trump seems decided to maneuver the needle — or at the least blow off some steam — together with his account on Fact Social, a social media platform based by Trump after he was banned from Twitter following the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.
The presidential trolling started on Monday after Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer and Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries met with Trump and Republicans on the White Home. Trump posted a deepfake video of the lawmakers, with Schumer saying, “no person likes Democrats anymore.” Jeffries was depicted with a cartoon sombrero and mustache.
“It’s a disgusting video, and we’re going to proceed to clarify that bigotry will get you nowhere,” Jeffries mentioned on MSNBC this week.
Trump posted a clip of his look, however with a soundtrack of mariachi music. The sombrero and mustache had been again, too.
“Every single day Democrats hold the federal government shut down, the sombrero will get 10x larger,” the White Home wrote on social media.
Hours earlier than the shutdown started on Tuesday night time, the president posted photographs from his assembly with Jeffries and Schumer. The images confirmed pink “Trump 2028” hats on the Resolute Desk within the Oval Workplace, a nod to his speak of working for an unconstitutional third time period.
Trump didn’t have any public appearances scheduled on Thursday. An occasion to commemorate Nationwide Hispanic Heritage Month was postponed due to the shutdown.
The White Home didn’t reply to questions on how he was working to resolve the state of affairs. However for at the least just a few hours, Trump’s social media account went quiet.
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