If cable news created the 24-hour news cycle, then Twitter created the 24-minute one. It seems every day media outlets wait with baited breath for President Trump to share his thoughts on the world in 240 characters or less. While Trump clearly uses Twitter to circumvent traditional media and convey his message directly to the people, and even foreign leaders, it is the legacy press that amplifies every tweet by covering each one extensively.
Another day, another hour, another tweet, and another story speculating on the motivation behind President Trump’s words. In less than a 24-hour period, the major story of the day shifted from Trump’s ALL CAPS tweet threatening Iran, to the potential that the White House may pull security clearance from former intelligence officials, to the president asserting that he is concerned that Russia may meddle in the 2018 midterms to help Democrats.
Each one of these stories is significant and deserves scrutiny from journalists and the public alike. What fascinates me is how many inside and out of the Beltway are quick to dismiss what Trump says. It’s like justification gymnastics.
Don’t listen to what Trump said at the press conference with Putin because his actions towards Russia show what he really believes more than the words he used. When asked about Trump’s consideration of rescinding security clearance of former officials who have been critical on the president’s handling of Russia, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan simply said Trump was just trolling people. Basically, don’t take that threat too seriously, even though it sends a message that the president is willing to use his executive authority to retaliate against those who dissent. What about that Iran tweet? Some assert that its just Trump trying to use language dictators understand, not that he is truly willing to use nuclear weapons. Now Trump says he is concerned about Russia meddling in the midterms because Russia does not like him. Believe that tweet, because he said so. Forget that Vladimir Putin himself said he liked Trump and wanted him to win. The president’s tweet is fact. Other statements? Take them with a grain of salt.
While we all chase breaking news at a breakneck pace, the nuanced underpinnings of each story sometimes get lost in the shuffle. More people need to be asking why it is acceptable to selectively believe the statements of the president and why there is often daylight between where Trump stands and where his administration claims he stands on a variety of issues from NATO to trade. More should also be concerned with the growing acceptance of “fake news” being a real thing and what impact degrading a free press has on our longevity and strength as a democratic republic.
We are living in a topsy-turvy world where it is almost impossible to keep up with the changing stories and where it is becoming increasingly more difficult to sort fact from fiction. Trump contradicts himself. Trump contradicts his administration. His administration contradicts Trump. Everyone is trying to clarify everyone’s statements. None of us know what is really going on.
Capri Cafaro (@thehonorablecsc) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a former member of the Ohio State Senate, where she was the Senate minority leader. She is now an Executive in Residence at American University’s School of Public Affairs.
