Trump’s slurred, confused Oval Office announcement really should concern Republicans

President Donald Trump summoned reporters and allies to the Oval Office on Monday for what the White House billed as a mystery announcement at 2 pm, sparking speculation about artificial intelligence, trade or a shift in the war with Iran. It turned out to concern a steel plant, and The Independent's columnist argues the event was really a midterm pitch aimed at voters worried about gas and grocery costs. The columnist contends that Trump's delivery, which they describe as slurred, slower and confused, undercut the effort, and notes he read from a large-print laminated binder.

According to the account, Trump called Minnesota's governor "a real stupid guy," praised the economy, and said he would give "$5,000 to every adult," claiming Democrats could not do the same. He said no one is entering across the border, started to boast about murder rates before correcting himself, and predicted that Iran would soon be over and gas prices would drop. The columnist points out that his own administration now says the Iran conflict is not actually a war, yet he described having gone to war to prevent Israel from being wiped out.

Asked why Republicans are polling poorly in Iowa, Trump blamed Democrats for affordability problems and then said the polls are fake. The columnist reads his first answer as an admission that affordability is the cause and that it is too late to fix.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →