Since Trump’s inauguration, Nobel-prize winning economist and longtime NYT editorial board member Paul Krugman has dedicated himself almost exclusively to bashing the president as a racist, a liar and a shill for the rich. But in a particularly scathing post-Mueller-report column published last night (and crucially appearing in Tuesday’s paper), the economist took his criticisms one step further, branding Trump a racist and a liar, while accusing the Republican Party that obeyed the will of its voters in electing Trump of “selling out the American people.”
For the president, who is still basking in the vindication of Mueller’s conclusions, this was apparently a bridge too far.
Because in a series of early Tuesday tweets, Trump bashed Krugman for his “false and highly inaccurate writings” and his calls for a Trump-inspired market crash, which haven’t exactly panned out.
The president also ramped up his criticism of Krugman’s employer, the New York Times, musing about whether the paper would apologize to him for a second time (as it did after his stunning electoral triumph over Hillary Clinton), insisting that this time, the “fake news” paper would need to “get down on their knees & beg for forgiveness.”
Paul Krugman, of the Fake News New York Times, has lost all credibility, as has the Times itself, with his false and highly inaccurate writings on me. He is obsessed with hatred, just as others are obsessed with how stupid he is. He said Market would crash, Only Record Highs!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
I wonder if the New York Times will apologize to me a second time, as they did after the 2016 Election. But this one will have to be a far bigger & better apology. On this one they will have to get down on their knees & beg for forgiveness-they are truly the Enemy of the People!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
Trump accused the “Radical left” Democrats and their handlers in the “Fake News media” of having gone “totally insane”, a sign that Trump’s agenda is working.
The Radical Left Democrats, together with their leaders in the Fake News Media, have gone totally insane! I guess that means that the Republican agenda is working. Stay tuned for more!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
In a subtle dig at the Clintons, he added that in the “old days” if a president presided over a good economy, he was “basically immune from criticism”.
In the “old days” if you were President and you had a good economy, you were basically immune from criticism. Remember, “It’s the economy stupid.” Today I have, as President, perhaps the greatest economy in history…and to the Mainstream Media, it means NOTHING. But it will!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
Not content to let Krugman have all the fun, Trump swiftly turned on one of his favorite targets in the ‘lamestream’ media, Morning Joe, which he rebranded “Morning Psycho,” gloating about how all the free air time the MSNBC morning show staple allowed him during the campaign helped him win.
Sorry to say but @foxandfriends is by far the best of the morning political shows on television. It rightfully has BY FAR the highest ratings, not even close. Morning Psycho (Joe), who helped get me elected in 2016 by having me on (free) all the time, has nosedived, too Angry…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
….Dumb and Sick. A really bad show with low ratings – and will only get worse. CNN has been a proven and long term ratings and beyond disaster. In fact, it rewarded Chris Cuomo with a now unsuccessful prime time slot, despite his massive failure in the morning. Only on CNN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
Then again, if the economy is truly doing so well, then why is Trump insisting that the Fed launch QE4 asap?
Finally, Trump also spared a tweet to galvanize supporters ahead of a weekend rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, which will be his first rally since the release of the redacted Mueller report.
I will be going to Green Bay, Wisconsin, for a really big Rally on Saturday Evening. Big crowd expected, much to talk about. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2019
via ZeroHedge News http://bit.ly/2ZCgGBQ Tyler Durden