Topline
White House spokesperson Brian Morgenstern on Friday insisted President Donald Trump is “working very hard” as questions mount about the media-hungry president’s abrupt recession from the spotlight and silence on a massive cyber attack against multiple U.S. government agencies.
STERLING, VA - DECEMBER 13: U.S. President Donald Trump climbs into golf cart number 45 as he golfs ... [+]
Getty ImagesKey Facts
Trump has not weighed in on the attack – in contrast with President-elect Joe Biden, who vowed to make it a “top priority” – sustaining criticism from lawmakers in both parties who say a strong response is vital.
“President Trump is working very hard. He is of course being briefed as needed. He is leading the government as always,” Morgenstern said of Trump, who has not had a public event since campaigning for Republican Senate candidates in Georgia nearly a week ago.
Trump has remained active on Twitter, conducting the bulk of his public communication on there since November.
Morgenstern claimed Trump’s absence from the spotlight is due to work undertaken out of the public view – a departure from Trump’s PR-first style of governance – stating, "There is a lot of work that goes on that isn't necessarily public.”
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow suggested Trump has taken a back seat in stimulus negotiations, dismissing a report that Trump has an independent demand for $2,000 stimulus checks and stating the president will “go with Sen. McConnell, and that will be a Republican position.”
Key Background
Outside of a half-dozen public appearances, what little communication Trump has had with the public since losing the election in November has largely been through Twitter. Mainly, the president has been nursing his loss and baselessly claiming the election was stolen through widespread fraud, even going so far as to urge senators to challenge President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral college victory during a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6.
Chief Critic
“President Trump must get past his grievances about the election and govern for the remainder of his term,” wrote Tom Bossert, Trump’s former homeland security adviser, in a New York Times op-ed, claiming the president is “on the verge of leaving behind a federal government, and perhaps a large number of major industries, compromised by the Russian government.”
What To Watch For
It is unclear when Trump will next address the country or appear publicly. Kudlow was called away before he could answer a question on the matter, while Morgenstern said, “If he wants to speak directly as opposed to through his team that is, of course, the president’s prerogative and I won’t get ahead of him.”
The Link LonkDecember 19, 2020 at 05:10AM
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White House Insists Trump Is ‘Hard At Work’ And ‘Leading The Government’ Despite Public Absence - Forbes
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