the reaction
Trump plays the tough guy after the mid-term election debacle: “I’m still your president”
The tycoon is trying to dampen the spirits of the jubilant Democrats by posting a photo in which he appears sombre and aggressive. A few hours earlier, he had told the NYT: “We can’t wait to work with them.”
“Public service announcement: Trump is still your president”. All that’s missing is the freephone number and the reminder not to leave your luggage unattended. This is how the White House is attempting, via social media, to spoil the party for the Democrats, who emerged victorious from the recent mid-term elections, in which they managed to outmanoeuvre the Republican Party and secure control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. “Thank you for your attention,” the post continues – in the style of a reminder letter – beneath an image of the president looking sombre and aggressive.
Shortly after the result of the vote, the tycoon’s approach had apparently been more open. In an interview with the New York Times, Trump stated that he was “absolutely willing to accept these results” and ready to work with the Democrats. “We look forward to working with them,” he said. “We’ll probably be able to reach an agreement.”
At the same time, however, a photo appeared on Truth – without any commentary – showing a red cap bearing the word ‘Veto’ instead of the usual ‘Maga’. Before the vote, Trump had warned that, should he lose control of Congress, he would become ‘Mr Veto’, although he later assured Politico that he did not intend to ‘spend two years vetoing everything’. The numbers certainly work in his favour: to override him, the Democrats would need a two-thirds majority in both Houses, and therefore, in all likelihood, several Republican votes.