Trump Attacks ‘Cancel Culture’ — But Tried Recently To Cancel These People

TOPLINE

Despite his consistent criticism of “cancel culture,” President Trump has frequently called for the firings of media personalities and has been particularly aggressive in his point attacks this week, calling for the termination of three news reporters and requesting his supporters antagonize the owner of The Atlantic, Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

KEY FACTS

Crucial Quote:

“We want a culture where differences of opinion and debate are encouraged, not canceled,” said Ivanka Trump at the Republican National Convention.

Key Background:

This week’s tweets are only the latest instance of Trump calling for the termination of a media personality. In May, he said NBC “Meet the Press” host “Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd should be FIRED by ‘Concast.'” In January, Trump tweeted that the New York Times should fire columnist Paul Krugman, a winner of the Nobel Prize in economics. The president has previously called for the firing of The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel and MSNBC’s Katy Tur. In February of 2016, Trump declared that the Wall Street Journal should fire its entire editorial board. Last month, Trump returned to one of his favorite culture war targets—athletes who kneel during the national anthem—claiming the NBA is in “big trouble” because the vast majority of the league takes a knee. Back in 2017, at a campaign rally in Alabama, Trump said, “wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when someone disrespects our flag to say, ‘get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He’s fired. He’s fired.”

Tangent:

The Atlantic’s bombshell report cited anonymous sources which stated Trump made multiple disparaging remarks about veterans and, when John McCain died in 2018, Trump reportedly told his senior staff, “We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral,” and demanded to know why flags were lowered to half-staff. The Associated Press, Washington Post, New York Times, CNN and Fox News have all confirmed details of The Atlantic’s report. Trump has completely denied the veracity of the expose and also claimed he “never called John a ‘loser‘” despite having done so on video in 2015.

Further Reading:

Trump Says He Never Called McCain A ‘Loser’—Here’s The Evidence That He Did (Forbes) 

Trump: MSNBC’s Joy Reid should be fired over ‘xenophobia and racism’ after remark about Muslims (Fox News)