Trump’s “Major Announcement” Is a Distraction

Let’s check in on how things are shaking out in the world of Donald Trump.

So the Russia probe, it’s not going away, but there have been murmurs from some corners that when special counsel Robert Mueller’s report drops – possibly in late February – that it isn’t going to be great news for the gilded toad.

We’ll see.

Then of course, there was the Buzzfeed story that dropped late Thursday evening.

I covered that earlier, so go here and check it out, if you missed it.

Basically, however, the report alleges that President Trump instructed his former personal attorney and “fixer,” Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress about the attempts of the Trump Organization to do business with the Kremlin, well into the 2016 election, and after Donald Trump was named as the GOP nominee.

Cohen has already pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, but this news that he was perhaps lying at the behest of his former client brings a new element to the case.

“Suborn perjury.”

Get familiar with that term. If you’ve watched the news through the day, you’re probably already familiar with it.

The Buzzfeed reporter who logged the story said that he had not see the evidence, which is said to consist of emails and other documents, but stands by his reporting.

It was a bad day for Trump.

I’ll say this: I’m seeing some reports now that special counsel’s spokesman has issued a statement saying the Buzzfeed report is not accurate in it’s characterization of the work of special counsel and Michael Cohen’s cooperation.

We’ll see.

In the meantime, Trump needs a distraction. As he tends to do when there’s bad news.

So what does he do?

He announces on Friday evening that he’ll be making a “major announcement” on Saturday, in regards to the government shutdown, and the “humanitarian crisis” at the nation’s southern border.

In a tweet (of course):

“I will be making a major announcement concerning the Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border, and the Shutdown, tomorrow afternoon at 3 P.M., live from the @WhiteHouse,” Trump wrote

The message raises the possibility that the president is planning to declare a national emergency to circumvent Congress and win funding for his wall — while ending the partial government shutdown at the same time.

Well, that would certainly change the headlines, wouldn’t it?

I will be making a major announcement concerning the Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border, and the Shutdown, tomorrow afternoon at 3 P.M., live from the @WhiteHouse.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2019

Of course, his pettiness and all the flop-sweat overreactions to the bad news swirling around him does more to make him look like a guilty man than someone who is in control.

I would say, in fact, his willingness to overstep his constitutional bounds in this matter will do him more harm, in the immediate.

Just a point to ponder for all those MAGA faithful who buy into his every spoken syllable, and believe there is a national emergency on the southern border:

What sort of national emergency takes a month to declare?

Don’t strain yourselves. No national emergency takes a month to declare. The word “emergency” indicates a situation of immediate and crucial importance.

This is not a national emergency, and Trump is not a king.

Let’s hope Congress responds to whatever he announces on Saturday accordingly.