It’s worth appreciating not just how many times the president has said “I don’t know” in recent days, but also the scope of his apparent cluelessness.
So far this week, Trump has said "I don't know" in response to questions about:
- sending migrants to Libya
- due process
- upholding the Constitution
- interactions with El Salvador
- tariff exceptions
- JD Vance's line on Russia's war demands
The cluelessness matters
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/-dont-know-problem-trump-leaning-new-favorite-phrase-rcna205546
It was against this backdrop that Trump was asked a straightforward question about the story. The New Republic noted:
Donald Trump says he doesn’t know whether he plans to deport hundreds of immigrants to Libya, amidst reports that his administration will do so as soon as Wednesday. “Is the administration sending migrants to Libya?” Trump was asked during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “I don’t know,” he responded. “You’ll have to ask the Department of Homeland Security.”
While it was certainly possible that the president was simply lying about what he knew, at face value, it appeared that the Republican was simply unaware of what his own administration was up to.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3lolxlhitki2e
.....On Sunday, for example, NBC News aired Trump’s latest appearance on “Meet the Press.” When host Kristen Welker asked whether everyone in the United States is entitled to due process, the president replied, “
I don’t know. I’m not, I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know.” When Welker reminded her guest about the Fifth Amendment, Trump again said, “
I don’t know.”
As part of the same exchange, Welker went on to say,
“[D]on’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?” Once again, Trump answered,
“I don’t know.”
As the interview continued, the host asked whether anyone in his administration is in contact with El Salvador about returning Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States.
“I don’t know,” the president said. “
You’d have to ask the attorney general that question......
What’s more, most objective observers would probably agree that if Joe Biden repeatedly said, “I don’t know” in response to simple questions about his own administration, it would be front-page news — and the Democrat’s responses would be played on a loop, for hours on end, in conservative media.
Similarly,
Trump has personally invested considerable time and energy into accusing Biden of being a doddering old “autopen” president who was unaware of events unfolding around him. Given the frequency with which the Republican clings to “I don’t know” responses, he might need a new line of attack.
Finally,
let’s not overlook the fact that Trump’s authoritarian-style tendencies are rooted, at least in part, in the idea governmental power must be concentrated and put in his hands, to be executed as he sees fit.
It makes the president’s apparent cluelessness that much more alarming.
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