Kellyanne Conway laments ‘obsession’ with Trump’s tweets
Kellyanne Conway tangled with interviewers Monday over President Trump’s response to the weekend terror attacks in London. Of particular issue was Trump’s scuffle with London Mayor Sadiq Khan after the president misrepresented Khan’s comments in the wake of the incident.
Appearing on NBC’s “Today,” Conway bemoaned “this obsession with covering everything he says on Twitter and very little of what he does as president.”
“That’s his preferred method of communication with the American people,” host Craig Melvin retorted.
“That’s not true,” the top Trump adviser replied.
“Well, he hasn’t given an interview in three weeks,” Melvin lobbed back, “so lately that is his preferred method.”
The exchange began when Conway was asked if her boss owed Khan an apology for mischaracterizing his statements. Trump tweeted Sunday, “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed!’”
At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2017
But the quote from Khan was about the heightened police presence in its aftermath.
“Londoners will see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days,” Khan said on BBC. “No reason to be alarmed.”
A response on Sunday from Khan’s spokesperson said the mayor “has more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump’s ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his remarks.”
Early Monday, Trump again took to Twitter, this time to call Khan’s spokesperson’s statement a “pathetic excuse.”
Pathetic excuse by London Mayor Sadiq Khan who had to think fast on his "no reason to be alarmed" statement. MSM is working hard to sell it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2017
After terrorists rammed a van into a crowd on London Bridge and stabbed shoppers at Borough Market, Trump at first tweeted a congenial politician’s response, writing, “WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!” before taking a more confrontational tone denouncing political correctness and seeming to imply that the lack of involvement by firearms in the attack delegitimizes the gun control debate.
Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there – WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2017
We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people. If we don't get smart it will only get worse
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2017
Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? That's because they used knives and a truck!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2017
Conway’s attempt to downplay the significance of Trump’s tweeting also comes on the heels of several defiant and provocative missives touting his travel ban, which is headed to the Supreme Court after two iterations were stymied by lower courts.
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