Donald Trump's fun game reaches new heights
World
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Whatever you think of him, it is difficult to dispute. Drawing on his decades of experience in the media maelstrom of New York, the country's toughest, Trump has spent the last three and a half years implementing the lessons he has learned. At the top of this list? If you do not like a story or story about yourself, give something else to the media – something that works best for you.
It is the strategy of the brilliant object. The media, like a cat, are often easily distracted. So put something in front of them that they can not resist and they will follow it, forgetting everything that was super important to them five minutes ago.
The past 36 hours illustrate Trump's approach
Last Monday's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Trump was crushed with negative headlines over his statements at that meeting. He repeatedly refused to condemn Russia for interfering in the 2016 elections and said Russia and the United States were responsible for the situation. Attempts to clean up this performance have led to other problems – Trump still unable to say directly that Russia was seeking to intervene in the 2016 elections and apparently suggesting later in the week that Russia was no longer targeting states. United States for future electoral interference. 19659005] Media coverage has worsened. Many outlets – and me – have declared it the worst week of Trump's presidency so far. Behind the scenes, the president, an avid consumer of cable TV and headlines, was raving. And planned a way to change the story, to turn the page.
As he has done so many times before, this page change came via Twitter – at 11:24 pm. AND Sunday night.
Tweeted Trump :
"To the Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, NEVER BRING THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU HAVE CONSEQUENCES THAT HAVE ALWAYS SUFFERED SOME OF ALL HISTORY. PLUS A COUNTRY SUPPORT FOR YOUR MESSAGES OF VIOLENCE AND DEATH DEMONSTRATED, BE CAREFUL! "
Threatening Iran with" consequences that few people have suffered through history "is a foolproof way to change the history of Russia Iran is an aspiring nuclear nation with a long history of enmity towards the US A tweet like that of Trump certainly seems to further destabilize the already tense relationship and the Chances are to move Iran away from its nuclear path. (The United States already responds, "COLOR US UNIMPRESSED," tweeted Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Monday night.)
But Trump had not finished with his campaign of In Monday's daily briefing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was asked about a tweet by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul in which he proposed to remove John Brennan from his security clearance following comments. critics of the former head of the CIA. Mountain peak.
Clearly ready for question – and wanting to make news – Sanders read a list of six names, including Brennan, former National Intelligence Director James Clapper and former FBI director James Comey, who said she that Trump was considering for the revocation of their security clearances.
The practical effect of the security clearance game would be minor: Comey and his former deputy, Andrew McCabe, do not even have security clearances while Clapper and l & # 39; Former NSA chief Michael Hayden no longer attends classified briefings. of course, is next to the point. As the Iranian tweet, the revocation of the security clearance is supposed to change the subject, to allow Trump to fight on what he believes to be a more favorable ground.
In the case of Iran, Trump can be tough and not intimidated by threats from Iran, a rogue nation that has tormented US presidents for decades. He can rely on comparisons between how his harsh conversation has turned into a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The security struggle, although almost entirely symbolic, allows Trump to break through the idea – beloved of his supporters – that the so-called "deep" state "is out there and is working to undermine it because it represents such a threat to their permanent government." A cabal of intelligence and national security officials who worked under President Barack Obama's enriched access to secret information is a powerful idea that Trump knows intuitively, to which his base will answer.
Trump does not have to rt.The cover of the Iranian tweet has been everywhere Monday and, until now, his idea of security is at the top of most websites and cable channels.
But there is a danger for the country when the President wants to float with Iran or creating a list of enemies to prevent us from talking about his strange behavior with the Russians and the ongoing investigation of the special council on Russia's attempts to interfere in the elections of 2016.
Why the danger? Because Iran, judging by its initial reaction, does not take lightly the threat of Trump – or considers it only as a way to change the subject in Russia. And because suggest that people who do not agree with you but who did not do anything else should be punished only because they are willing to talk about their problems with your decisions sends a scary message to the country (and the world) about the world's largest democracy
It's unclear whether Trump understands – or cares – about the dangerousness of a game that he plays right here. His needs seem more basic: he hates the history of Russia and knows that he loses it. So, he finds a better ground to fight. He seems totally indifferent to the way these new fights are reverberating around the world as long as cable television chyrons are not all in Russia all the time.
Mission accomplished – at least in the short term – for Trump. But at what cost?
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