Trump tweeted that Sec. of Defense James Mattis was leaving two months early in what was an obvious attempt to change the bad for him government shutdown coverage.
Trump tweeted:
I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018
Trump is getting killed on the government shutdown, so he is trying to change the subject
Trump’s tactics are so obvious. The government shutdown is creating mountains of bad headlines and coverage for him. The stinging Mattis resignation is still being discussed in the news, so Donald Trump is trying to take control of the news cycle by tossing his resigning Secretary of Defense out the door two months early.
All Trump has accomplished with another impulsive and out of control decision is confirming the stories that he is totally untethered. Trump isn’t “winning the news cycle,” as he is obsessed with doing. The President isn’t changing the storyline or looking like a competent leader.
He is confirming that irrational and governing by the seat of his pants.
Trump didn’t make things better. He made the stories much, much worse when he pushed Mattis out.
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Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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