Donald Trump caves

Attention Palmer Report readers: sign up for our free mailing list here
-----
Note from Bill Palmer: if each of you reading this can kick in $10 or $25, it'll help keep Palmer Report firing on all cylinders at this crucial time in our nation's history: Donate now


It looks like the mainstream media has once again played Lucy and the football on the Charlie Brown public, when it comes to the never-ending yet never-substantiated narrative that Donald Trump is about to fire Robert Mueller at any moment. The media spent the past several days ramping up the nonexistent story, as it’s done so many times over the past six months, yet now Trump is making clear that he’s caving when it comes to Mueller.

Trump woke up this morning and tweeted this: “If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him. Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper!” Then a few hours later he tried to spin his cooperation with Mueller as evidence of his innocence: “I have agreed with the historically cooperative, disciplined approach that we have engaged in with Robert Mueller (Unlike the Clintons!). I have full confidence in Ty Cobb, my Special Counsel, and have been fully advised throughout each phase of this process.”

We’ve seen Trump lie and/or change his mind many times on many things. But if he had any intention of trying to fire Mueller at this time, he would not have posted the above tweets, as they serve to significantly weaken any argument he might try to make for why Mueller needs to be fired. Even if Trump has spent the past few days “considering” firing Mueller, as we keep hearing from the media, by now it’s clear that he doesn’t actually go through with the vast majority of things he’s considering, or telling people he’s considering.

This doesn’t mean that Robert Mueller is now bulletproof. As things close in on Donald Trump, and he decides how to make his final stand, there’s more need for continued public vigilance than ever. But let’s put to bed this hysteria about Trump firing Mueller at any second. Moreover, let’s start ignoring news outlets whenever they try to once again baselessly convince us that Trump is about to fire Mueller. It’s a ratings ploy to keep us tuned in out of fear. We’re better served putting our energy to good use than succumbing to media-fueled paranoid fear.

Attention Palmer Report readers: sign up for our free mailing list here
-----
Note from Bill Palmer: if each of you reading this can kick in $10 or $25, it'll help keep Palmer Report firing on all cylinders at this crucial time in our nation's history: Donate now