President Trump’s fighting hard to keep a job that critics, including Republicans, argue he’s shirking.
Democrats have pounced on Trump’s light public schedule to complain he’s become preoccupied with challenging his Nov. 3 election against President-elect Joe Biden, based in part on his Twitter feed and meetings he’s convened in the White House.
Trump’s lack of focus has weakened the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and now an extensive federal government hack, they say. And it’s his reaction to that breach that’s rankled some Republicans.
An “advanced persistent threat actor” has had access to top-secret government networks and data since March, including those belonging to the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
But instead of addressing the hack quickly and publicly condemning the perpetrators, Trump stayed mum for days.
When Trump did tweet about the attack, he contradicted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said it was most likely Russian operatives who forced their way into government systems via a SolarWinds Orion management software update. Rather, he fueled Democratic conjecture that he’s too tied to Russian President Vladimir Putin by blaming China.
“The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality. I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control. Russia, Russia, Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is, for mostly financial reasons, petrified of… discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!),” Trump wrote.
Biden, himself, seized on Trump’s perceived inaction and misdirection in a statement repeating how he believes cybersecurity should be “a top priority at every level of government.”
“And we will make dealing with this breach a top priority from the moment we take office,” he said.
White House deputy press secretary Brian Morgenstern took issue with Biden’s implication Trump wasn’t taking action, insisting Trump was “up to speed” on the hack.
“He is leading this government as always,” he said during a gaggle. “The work is being done whether or not he’s coming in front of you.”
Since the attack was widely reported on Dec. 13, Trump hasn’t hosted any public events, though White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany did hold a media conference on Tuesday.
“We’re taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to the situation,” she said at the time.
Trump has had a Cabinet meeting since knowledge of the hack became public. He signed a handful of laws and executive orders, such as a stopgap measure ensuring the government was funded until lawmakers brokered a broader deal. And he phoned foreign leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, after he was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Yet aside from talking with Vice President Mike Pence, the only other briefing listed on his schedule since Dec. 13 has been one from acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller.
Instead, he’s overshadowed that government business with campaign work trying to overturn the election.
For example, lawyer Sidney Powell, who’s been a vocal advocate of Trump’s fraud strategy, was spotted leaving the White House on Sunday. CNN’s reporting followed a New York Times article Saturday that Trump had huddled with advisers on Friday night. On the agenda? Whether he should appoint Powell as a special counsel to investigate alleged voter and electoral fraud.
Powell has been criticized for claiming the Nov. 3 election was rigged using voter machines but has struggled to produce any evidence that would be compelling to a court. Now she, herself, is at risk of being sued by Dominion Voting Systems over her accusations about its equipment, such as how Venezuela plotted to influence the election through the company.
Michael Flynn, Trump’s pardoned former national security adviser who was ensnared in the federal Russia investigation, was also reportedly at the Friday night meeting. Earlier on Newsmax, Flynn had floated the idea that Trump should impose martial law and deploy the military to “rerun” the election, and the president had follow-up questions.
One Republican strategist told the Washington Examiner the election fight was merely a distraction from Trump shoring up his legacy on issues, including COVID-19 economic relief, judicial appointments, trade agreements, Middle East peace accords, and border security.
California-based Republican strategist Duf Sundheim said Trump’s supporters were frustrated with the “double standard” regarding investigations into the president and those into Biden’s adult son Hunter over his foreign business dealings.
To Sundheim, many differentiated between Trump the man, Trump the president, and the situation. For instance, voter fraud was seen as a problem, yet they were resigned to believe his disputes were futile. Others had grown increasingly incensed after the hack.
“There’s certain things that you need to do. You’re the president, and you need to move on,” Sundheim paraphrased.
