This past Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump appeared before reporters following a meeting with Congressional Democrats about the ongoing government shutdown — or did he? The White House issued a notice to the press that Trump would appear… but listed the time as almost an hour before they sent the notice. While it arrived at 1:41 P.M. Eastern Time, it insisted Trump would speak to the press at exactly 1:00 P.M.
Trump has been significantly late for public addresses before, but that doesn’t seem to be the culprit here. Instead, the already long under scrutiny communications arm of the Trump administration simply stumbled into a major flub — again.
Although this time, the issue warrants more mockery than serious consideration, typos could easily pose major issues. At one point, one such issue in a White House communique made it seem like they were directly accusing Iran of currently developing nuclear weapons, which was a major stick of dynamite in global affairs. Ironically enough, in the time since, Trump has delivered his own very intentional dynamite via withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal that included the nation winding down its nuclear production in exchange for sanctions relief from the West.
None of that subtracts from the weight of the present situation, though.
The Friday typo made its entrance while the government continued to languish under the weight of Trump’s adamant refusal to approve any funding if he doesn’t get the billions of dollars he wants for his border wall. Hundreds of thousands of government workers remain without any promise of imminent pay at present, but Trump has insisted without any apparent evidence that they support his aims for a wall above their own personal financial considerations.
He’s so committed to the idea that he said this past week he was prepared to have the government remain shutdown for months or even years if he doesn’t get his border wall money. As an alternative, he’s suggested he might declare a national emergency in order to be freed up to use his executive power to direct the wall’s construction.
In other words, this alternative universe’s Trump press conference that occurred at 1 P.M. might be the preferable option in this case.
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