Former President Donald Trump recently engaged in one of his favorite pastimes—ragging on the media. It didn't go particularly well for him, though, because CNN's Jake Tapper had a brutal response.
Trump sent out a statement delightedly attributing lower ratings for national news outlets to things being "boring" now he is no longer in office.
"CNN ratings are down 70%. MSDNC is also way down. Actually, they are ALL way down. They say the news is 'boring' since I left D.C."
Trump: CNN ratings are down 70%. MSDNC is also way down. Actually, they are ALL way down. They say the news is "bor… https://t.co/eH4zxOAxBx— Jenn Pellegrino 🇺🇸 (@Jenn Pellegrino 🇺🇸) 1624987730.0
Ratings really are down for most networks, according to Deadline, but Trump being out of office is likely not the only root cause.
CNN's Jake Tapper had some valuable advice for Trump.
"If I had incited and inspired a deadly insurrection and attempt to undo American democracy I might not be out there bragging about how many viewers it had. On any channel."
"But maybe that's just me, I'm a different breed of cat."
If I had incited and inspired a deadly insurrection and attempt to undo American democracy I might not be out there… https://t.co/LUp3bDVJY2— Jake Tapper (@Jake Tapper) 1624993950.0
Other Twitter users reinterpreted Trump's comment as well.
@jaketapper "now that i've left office and things are less chaotic people are able to move on with their lives inst… https://t.co/H2tAhYhYo1— Dad Jokes Panda (@Dad Jokes Panda) 1624994203.0
@jaketapper Imagine bragging that you had people so worried about the world on a daily basis they couldn’t stop hyp… https://t.co/LrNZDT0DcU— John Johnson & Johnson (@John Johnson & Johnson) 1624994119.0
Others assured Tapper their decreased news viewing was actually a good thing.
@dvillella @jaketapper @aravosis Yeah, I can focus on other things now.— Mark’O (@Mark’O) 1625013509.0
@jaketapper It is so nice to wake up in the middle of the night and not immediately think that you have to check yo… https://t.co/BZjvngDk0B— Petunia (@Petunia) 1624996407.0
@ParkerMolloy @jaketapper And post-insurrection, I’d reckon. During Trump we were doom watching as much as doom scr… https://t.co/eHdQZzITgw— VOTE 🇺🇸 (@VOTE 🇺🇸) 1625000962.0
@JennPellegrino @ememess I'm not watching the news much anymore because I'm no longer in a constant state of panic… https://t.co/0VL18OoIIt— 🌊 JacquesStraw 🌊 (@🌊 JacquesStraw 🌊) 1624994631.0
@JennPellegrino Not living in constant terror has been a delight!— Alison Berkowitz (@Alison Berkowitz) 1625000671.0
Just to get one last jab in, Tapper also pointed out his ratings hadn't suffered nearly as much as Trump insisted.
Since Trump is still banned from most social media platforms, it's unlikely we'll see a response to Tapper's tweet though.