
President Donald Trump values loyalty above all else.
Which is not necessarily a bad trait, until you cannot accept criticism or bad news and see even the most gentle of critiques as a betrayal.
Loyalty should not trump honesty.
After all, who wants to be lied to all the time? Who wants to be allowed to blindly walk into disaster by sycophants?
Well...
On Sunday President Trump went on the offensive against Fox News. Yes, the home of his favorite programs and TV personalities.
That afternoon he tweeted:
"[Fox News show The Five co-host] Juan Williams at @FoxNews is so pathetic, and yet when he met me in the Fox Building lobby, he couldn't have been nicer as he asked me to take a picture of him and me for his family. Yet he is always nasty and wrong!"
Juan Williams at @FoxNews is so pathetic, and yet when he met me in the Fox Building lobby, he couldn’t have been n… https://t.co/2AhJzC7FS7— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1566155755.0
Then while speaking with reporters before returning to Washington DC from his New Jersey golf resort, Trump said:
"There's something going on at Fox, I"ll tell you right now, and I'm not happy with it."
...and...
"I don't know what's happening with Fox. Fox is different. There's no question about it."
Trump then added:
"And I think Fox is making a big mistake. Because, you know, I'm the one that calls the shots on that—on the really big debates."
Help me out here. What is Trump saying? “And I think Fox is making a big mistake,” the president said when asked a… https://t.co/BtyO9ZRjyb— Tokyo Sand 🇺🇸 (@Tokyo Sand 🇺🇸)1566190535.0
So what prompted that?
On Thursday Fox News reported their latest numbers gave the President his highest disapproval rating to date in their polling. Another poll showed Trump losing in head to head match ups with California Senator Kamala Harris, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, former Vice President Joe Biden and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Then Sunday, during a panel discussion for Fox News Sunday Williams said:
"It's not just Democrats who say, 'Hey, this guy is inartful.' The Wall Street Journal has said that—he then attacked The Wall Street Journal at a rally this week."
"But I think that what you see here is that Trump's unpredictability, (addressing host Dana Perino by name) then risks global recession, and you can do that. I mean, clearly, unpredictability is something that really scares Wall Street, because it depresses the likelihood of capital investment, which is necessary for stock growth."
Trump’s love affair with Fox News may be on the rocks over unfavorable poll results. https://t.co/fEVpv8s3AO— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPost Politics)1566229500.0
And what's up with the threat about the debates and Trump calling the shots?
Is he intimating that he "calls the shots" at Fox News?— Tokyo Sand 🇺🇸 (@Tokyo Sand 🇺🇸)1566191774.0
@HuffPostPol He doesn’t like it when fox won’t lie for him which knowing fox I’m a little surprised they aren’t lying for him.— Judy Norton (@Judy Norton)1566230186.0
Whatever the outburst was about, the President found little sympathy online.
@mmpadellan/Twitter
@realDonaldTrump @FoxNews Serious question. Do you have a job to do?— Fred Guttenberg (@Fred Guttenberg)1566176501.0
@realDonaldTrump @FoxNews LOL you have the nerve to call @TheJuanWilliams pahetic? https://t.co/JcT6iUvBqP— David Weissman (@David Weissman)1566158185.0
People drew their own conclusions about what Trump meant.
@DHStokyo @anitanash53 He’s saying he’s a rich, spoiled, brat who should always get what he wants and what he wants… https://t.co/pGehkDSgvJ— RottmomPugthug🆘 (@RottmomPugthug🆘)1566225029.0
@DHStokyo Fox News is Trump’s propaganda mouthpiece.— Trinity Resists 💚☮️🇺🇸✊🍑 (@Trinity Resists 💚☮️🇺🇸✊🍑)1566195836.0
@DHStokyo Didn't he fire his own pollsters because they weren't telling him what he wanted to hear!?!— Just this Guy (@Just this Guy)1566224432.0
@DHStokyo @Lady_Star_Gem tRump: They won't let me have my way!!! It's not fair. I can't tell them what to say anymo… https://t.co/ZGdv56ILfR— Cejae Mood (@Cejae Mood)1566191867.0
@DHStokyo He is telling FOX to go back to where he wants them with his coverage or they won’t be slllwed to cover t… https://t.co/qrhOValekt— tartanproud (@tartanproud)1566218087.0
@Khushas @DHStokyo Usually, but has anything been done by this man in accordance with the rule of law?— tartanproud (@tartanproud)1566258792.0
@DHStokyo He makes up his own poll numbers for Fox to report to his supporters. Someone accidently reported the truth.— Cactus Woman 🌊🌊🌊 (@Cactus Woman 🌊🌊🌊)1566193025.0
@delver_rootnose @DHStokyo @Lady_Star_Gem They won’t be fair because it’s not fair for a man sinking into dementia… https://t.co/1RptKiI8eK— Wulfsethen (@Wulfsethen)1566209336.0
@DHStokyo He's looking for a way out of the debates. He'll blame anything or anyone he can.— wait, what?!?! (@wait, what?!?!)1566192121.0
@DHStokyo Dementia Donnie is triggered, Fox isn't feeding him his usual narcissist supply.— DaCatKelly (@DaCatKelly)1566239589.0
@DHStokyo I honestly have no idea except that he certainly doesn’t want them reporting the truth.— Alexandra Bednar (@Alexandra Bednar)1566193870.0
@DHStokyo You call the shots for the news media now? What’s True, false , fact or fiction? Censorship of public inf… https://t.co/aTsNb85Vaa— Bill (@Bill)1566242481.0
Whatever the President actually meant about calling the shots and Fox News making a mistake by telling the truth, one thing is clear.
The truth hurts.
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