On Tuesday, President Donald Trump hinted that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt could be responsible for the negative media coverage he has been receiving, during a lively exchange in the Oval Office.
Following his signing of an executive order to establish a national voter list, Trump began a tirade against the “fake press,” criticizing “dishonest” traditional media outlets for not adequately portraying his achievements.
“I got 93% bad publicity — some people say 97 but between 93 and 97,” Trump stated, echoing similar unfounded statistics he cited last year when he suggested that the excessive negative press was “really illegal.”
Turning to his press secretary in what appeared to be a mix of jest and criticism, he remarked, “Maybe Karoline’s doing a poor job? I don’t know. She’s my repre — you’re doing a terrible job. Should we keep her? I think we’ll keep her.”
Throughout his political career, Trump has consistently cast doubt on the credibility of the media. He concluded that the lack of trust in the press is a “very bad” and “sad” situation for America.
These remarks come at a time when Trump’s approval ratings sink further, dropping to 33% in at least one instance, amid issues such as the Iran conflict and a partial government shutdown that has left thousands of federal employees without pay for several weeks.
Social media critics have not held back in their straightforward evaluations of this peculiar incident.
