Trump Says He Witnessed “Horror and Devastation” First Hand. He Lied Again.
This may not be the worst lie ever told by our so-called president, but it demonstrates once again his sociopathic propensity for grandiose boasting and exploitation of every situation for his own ego.
Yesterday morning, the Trump-thing emitted yet another Twitter blurt:
After witnessing first hand the horror & devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey,my heart goes out even more so to the great people of Texas!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2017
Almost immediately, reporters who were on the scene with Trump in Texas responded, to point out that in fact, Trump was nowhere near the actual “horror and devastation,” and couldn’t have witnessed it “first hand” at all.
I traveled with the President yesterday. Personally, I would not claim to have seen Harvey’s horror and devastation first hand. https://t.co/Zb7bsF5CW5
— Andrew Beatty (@AndrewBeatty) August 30, 2017
Our reporting does not match claim that @POTUS witnessed any horror or devastation first hand. #harvey https://t.co/KP4ejyLVpF @dallasnews https://t.co/HBObIh9Tgt
— Todd J. Gillman (@toddgillman) August 30, 2017
The Washington Post reports that White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders sprang to the Trump-thing’s defense and backed up his lie. Because of course she did.
A reporter asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders about this later Wednesday, and her answer was … something:
He met with a number of state and local officials who are eating, sleeping, breathing the Harvey disaster. He talked extensively with the governor, who certainly is right in the midst of every bit of this, as well as the mayors from several of the local towns that were hit hardest. And detailed briefing information throughout the day yesterday talking to a lot of the people on the ground. That certainly is a firsthand account.
No, it’s not. That’s a *second*hand account — the very definition of one, in fact.
Then, to further reinforce the absurdity and egregiousness of Trump’s lie, he (or someone on his staff) posted a photo to Instagram with the same “first hand” quote — showing Trump sitting in a room with Texas Gov. Abbott, looking at a radar map.
After witnessing first hand the horror & devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, my heart goes out even more so to the great people of Texas!