Category: Trump Administration

Americans — especially but not exclusively Trump voters — believe crazy, wrong things

The following article by Catherine Rampell was posted on the Washington Post website December 28, 2016:

Many Americans believe a lot of dumb, crazy, destructive, provably wrong stuff. Lately this is especially (though not exclusively) true of Donald Trump voters, according to a new survey.

The survey, from the Economist/YouGov, was conducted in mid-December, and it finds that willingness to believe a given conspiracy theory is (surprise!) strongly related to whether that conspiracy theory supports one’s political preferences. Continue reading “Americans — especially but not exclusively Trump voters — believe crazy, wrong things”

Trump On Nuclear Weapons Tweet: ‘Let It Be An Arms Race’

The following article was released by Reuters December 23, 2016:

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, asked to clarify his comments about expanding U.S. nuclear weapons capability, said, “Let it be an arms race,” and that the United States would win it, MSNBC reported on Friday.

Trump had alarmed non-proliferation experts on Thursday with a Twitter post that said the United States “must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.” Continue reading “Trump On Nuclear Weapons Tweet: ‘Let It Be An Arms Race’”

Breitbart Admits Role As Trump Enforcer, Showing Why It Should Be Denied Congressional Press Credentials

The following article by the Media Matters staff was posted on their website December 21, 2016:

Breitbart Editor Says Republicans Should Fear The Website If They Cross Trump

In a Politico article detailing how President-elect Donald Trump’s “horde of enforcers” — Breitbart.com listed prominently among them — are scaring Republican lawmakers away from criticizing him, a Breitbart editor said Republicans are right to fear the right-wing website, which was previously run by Trump senior counselor Stephen Bannon. This admission from Breitbart that the outlet plans to support Trump, rather than objectively cover his incoming administration, further demonstrates that the website is not editorially independent enough to warrant permanent Capitol Hill press credentials. Continue reading “Breitbart Admits Role As Trump Enforcer, Showing Why It Should Be Denied Congressional Press Credentials”

Donald Trump is holding a government casting call. He’s seeking ‘the look.’

The following article by Philip Rucker and Karen Tumulty was posted on the Washington Post website December 22, 2016:

Donald Trump believes that those who aspire to the most visible spots in his administration should not just be able to do the job, but also look the part.

Given Trump’s own background as a master brander and showman who ran beauty pageants as a sideline, it was probably inevitable that he would be looking beyond their résumés for a certain aesthetic in his supporting players. Continue reading “Donald Trump is holding a government casting call. He’s seeking ‘the look.’”

5 Trump Abominations This Week (December 17, 2016)

Donald Trump is making America dumb again — an an “unpresidented” way.

The following article by Janet Allon was posted on the Alternet website December 17, 2016:

While atrocities played out in Syria, Trump visited homegrown tragedies and travesties upon America. The week began with his appointment of Exxon chief Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, continued with wild dissembling about Russia’s hacks on his behalf and ended with him calling his own supporters “vicious and nasty.” It was all completely “unpresidented,” as Trump might say—in fact, as he did say about China’s seizure of a U.S. Naval Underwater Drone.

Here are just 5 of the low points in Trump world this week. Continue reading “5 Trump Abominations This Week (December 17, 2016)”

For a president-elect who touts ‘America first,’ Russian hacking poses a problem

The following article by Dan Balz was posted on the Washington Post website December 17, 2016:

President-elect Donald Trump speaks in Hershey, Pa., during his “thank you” tour. (Don Emmert/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

Presidents often are tested early, by unexpected crises or provocations by foreign adversaries. President-elect Donald Trump’s first test has come even before he is sworn in, and so far, he has responded with denial, equivocation and deflection.

The test has come over Russia’s brazen intrusion into the U.S. election process through its hacking of the servers at the Democratic National Committee and the email account of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager. Continue reading “For a president-elect who touts ‘America first,’ Russian hacking poses a problem”