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President Donald Trump, speaking to a dozen White House pool reporters at Camp David, has defended his earlier tweeted claims of “being, like, really smart.”
Asked about his Saturday-morning tweets that listed his two greatest assets as “mental stability and being, like, really smart,” Trump said at the mid-day presser, “I went to the best colleges, college,” made “billions and billions of dollars,” had “tremendous success” on television (“as you probably have heard”), and won the presidency on his first try.
Trump also took the opportunity to slam, again, Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who the president again called “Sloppy Steve.”
“I don’t know this man,” Trump said of Wolff, disputing the author’s claim that the two spoke for a total of three hours while Wolff was researching the book. Trump said “Sloppy Steve brought him into the White House quite a bit, and that’s why Sloppy Steve is looking for a new job.”
Trump seemed to swat away the possibility of legal action, though, decrying the country’s “weak” libel laws.
“If they were strong it would be very helpful,” he said, “you wouldn’t have things like that happen where you can just say whatever comes into your head.”
Earlier today, Trump sent out a string of tweets praising his own stability and intelligence, all following Wolff’s questioning of both:
Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018
….Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018
….to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius….and a very stable genius at that!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018
And one from last night:
Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018
The tweets drew swift ridicule on Twitter, with some memes comparing Trump to Fredo from The Godfather films (MSNBC even showed a clip of Fredo whining about being smart).
Here’s a sampling of responses from Hollywood and the Beltway:
In "History of The World Part 1, Mel Brook's utterance, "It's good to be the King," has provoked Trump to admit that it is good to be, "A very stable genius!"
— carl reiner (@carlreiner) January 6, 2018
Dear Mr. President,
A good rule of thumb is that when you've got it, you don't have to say it. People know. That holds true for wealth, compassion, faith, and yes, being a "very stable genius." Sincerely, Dan— Dan Rather (@DanRather) January 6, 2018
Comparing Trump to Fredo seems unfair since Fredo didn’t bankrupt his casino.
— Alan Spencer (@MrAlanSpencer) January 6, 2018
This Just Not In
: "Hail to the Chief" being renamed "Hail to the Very Stable Genius"
— Harry Shearer (@theharryshearer) January 6, 2018
: "Hail to the Chief" being renamed "Hail to the Very Stable Genius"If a friend wrote me to assure me that he was a “ very stable genius” it would be cause for concern
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) January 6, 2018
This is why I'm having trouble finding "very stable genius" as funny as it should be. Republicans will defend this guy into oblivion — theirs and ours https://t.co/El09pfy1f8
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 6, 2018
One hint that a public figure may be mentally unstable: He feels obliged in an emotional tweet to defend his mental stability and even describe himself as a "very stable genius." No, that's not normal. https://t.co/ZPg8OQsiLy
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) January 6, 2018
Who else out there is also a very stable genius? Just trying to get a rough head count so I know what we're working with.
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) January 6, 2018
The only true stable genius has to be Mr. Ed., who talks in more complex sentences than the current occupier of the Whitehouse.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) January 6, 2018
January 6th, 2018 – the day in which a sitting US President felt it was necessary to counter theories that he is mentally ill with a tweetstorm stating he was a "genius…a very stable genius."
— Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) January 6, 2018
A guy who keeps telling you he’s a stable genius is like a guy who keeps telling you he’s straight.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) January 6, 2018
Of course he’s a “stable genius:”The NYT, other failing and fake news orgs, along w/ family, friends and staff, all who question his intellect, are STUPID for only looking at his emotional intelligence — 9 yrs old. All will see his genius when he grows up! https://t.co/rRgRSwHVg7
— John Dean (@JohnWDean) January 6, 2018
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