Trump's Muddled Messaging

President Donald Trump speaks in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Monday, June 5, 2017. Trump is making the case for privatizing the nation's air traffic control system.

Donald Trump persists in diverting attention from the larger themes of his presidency. He did it again last weekend.
On Sunday, Trump first wrote on Twitter, "The #FakeNews MSM [mainstream media] doesn't report the great economic news since Election Day. #DOW up 16 %. #NASDAQ up 19.5%. Drilling & energy sector...way up. Regulations way down. 600,000+ new jobs added. Unemployment down to 4.3 %. Business and economic enthusiasm way up--record levels!"

Some of these assertions were inflated, but the approach was what many Trump allies have been advocating--focus on the economy and issues that are close to home.
Yet within a few minutes, Trump changed the subject in another tweet. Referring to the Senate Intelligence Committee testimony of former FBI Director James Comey last week, Trump wrote on Twitter, "I believe the James Comey leaks will be far more prevalent than anyone ever thought possible. Totally illegal? Very 'cowardly!'"
Trump and his allies argue that Comey lied when he said Trump asked Comey to stop an FBI investigation into former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's ties to Russia.
Trump also tweeted, "The Democrats have no message, not on economics, not on taxes, not on jobs, not on failing #Obamacare. They are only OBSTRUCTIONISTS!"
Adding to Trump's problems staying on message, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is expected to testify Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee about his alleged ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign, when the Kremlin allegedly tried to meddle in the election and help Trump win.

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