Trump's Latest 'Genius' Boast Has Everyone Scratching Their Heads
President Donald Trump, who raised fresh questions about his mental stability with a wild week that included walking out of a meeting with Democratic congressional leaders, has renewed his claim of being a “stable genius.”
Trump boasted that he was “an extremely stable genius” at a White House event with farmers and agricultural industry leaders on Thursday.
The brag echoes claims he made on Twitter and during a NATO summit speech in 2018 that he is “a very stable” genius.
The president’s latest genius claim came after he abruptly walked out of a meeting with Democrats about infrastructure, hosted a rambling Rose Garden press conference, and then fended off questions about his mental stability from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). He said he won’t negotiate with Democrats over infrastructure until they stop investigating his administration.
Pelosi fired back at Trump’s latest grandiose “genius” boast with this tweet:
When the “extremely stable genius” starts acting more presidential, I’ll be happy to work with him on infrastructure, trade and other issues. https://t.co/tfWVkj9CLT
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 23, 2019
Other Democratic lawmakers Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) also weighed in:
There is nothing “stable” or “genius” about these public rants from a president.
Deranged, bizarre, incoherent, sad ... come to mind. https://t.co/lIvBisqGvQ— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 24, 2019
Dear @realDonaldTrump: A well known fact of human nature is that a person who is actually a #stablegenius would have no need to say it.
Also, why are you suing to eliminate health care coverage for Americans with pre-existing conditions? A stable genius wouldn't do that. https://t.co/DDuVQKDegz— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 23, 2019
Tomorrow I'm going to order my staff to line up and tell me what a calm, stable, & very smart person I am.
Awww, just kidding. I'm not a #stablegenius & my staff are not sycophants like @KellyannePolls.
Also, why is Trump suing to eliminate coverage for pre-existing conditions? https://t.co/RJ8aGAsK76— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 23, 2019
The “extremely stable genius” can’t even distinguish fake videos from the real thing (or maybe he just doesn’t care)
Either way, Democrats won’t be intimidated. https://t.co/LXs2Cl09HZ— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) May 24, 2019
Anyone who has to say repeatedly that they’re a #StableGenius... clearly isn’t.
— Mike Levin (@MikeLevinCA) May 23, 2019
“When Harry Met Sally” director Rob Reiner dinged Trump over his claim:
First, the only Stable Genius I know of is Mr. Ed. Secondly, the only genius this man is capable of is committing crimes. And convincing pathetic brown nosing sycophants to try to help him cover them up. #CoverUpTrump
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) May 23, 2019
CNN’s Anderson Cooper pointed out that stable geniuses, extreme or otherwise, don’t usually feel the need to go around announcing it:
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.@andersoncooper: Anyone who is an "extremely stable genius," whatever that means, would not feel the need to describe themselves as such.
If you're stable, you don't need to go around announcing it. You're stable. Same goes for being a genius. #KeepingThemHonest pic.twitter.com/Pmf9fFU3SE— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) May 24, 2019
Bill Kristol, editor-in-chief of The Bulwark, held a mocking poll:
Who is your favorite extremely stable genius?
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 24, 2019
Someone added a laughter track to Trump’s comment:
Because sometimes a #stablegenius required a laugh track... pic.twitter.com/0Uvy8ZoUSH
— steve sumrall (@SteveSumrall) May 24, 2019
And others just laughed at the absurdity of it all:
"I am not a genius"
- Albert Einstein
"I'm not a genius"
- Steve Jobs
"I'm an extremely stable genius"
- Donald Trump— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) May 23, 2019
No stable genius has EVER referred to themselves as one.
— kristen johnston (@thekjohnston) May 23, 2019
Our Republic is skating on thin ice. Something is seriously unsettled about our poor erratic President. “I’m an extremely stable genius.” What would prompt a person to embarrass himself with that kind nonsensical boasting? https://t.co/7O7DYtELQN
— Barry R McCaffrey (@mccaffreyr3) May 24, 2019
The best part of Trump again saying he's "an extremely stable genius" is that everyone's first reaction is to laugh at him pic.twitter.com/QYXcL9sztc
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) May 23, 2019
I am an extremely stable genius.
— Pericles
Seward is “dumb as a rock” and totally ill prepared and ill equipped to be Secretary of State.
— Lincoln
I was extremely calm. Very much like I am right now.
— Ghandi
This is the single greatest witch hunt in history!
— Mandela— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) May 23, 2019
I met a brilliant horse once. He was a stable genius.
— bob saget (@bobsaget) May 24, 2019
Spoiler: the president of the United States is neither stable nor genius https://t.co/OXNUHIKuKi
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) May 23, 2019
Trump in January 2018 called himself “a very stable genius” in this Twitter rant about special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible Trump campaign collusion:
Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018
....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018
....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018
He repeated the boast during a NATO summit in Brussels in July:
Asked if his comments at NATO will change once he leaves Brussels and starts tweeting again, President Trump says no and he's a "very stable genius." pic.twitter.com/1Lf9Fn8FVU
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 12, 2018
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