Donald Trump Jr. vigorously defended his father on Thursday in a response to CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s attempts to pin some culpability for this week’s mail bomb scare on the White House.
FBI agents are still examining mail bombs sent to former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, CNN and a host of other high-profile Democratic individuals this week, but the blame game regarding the motives of a still-unidentified suspect are in full swing.
“Trump talked about the bombs sent to former public officials at his rally in Wisconsin,” Mr. Acosta tweeted Wednesday evening. “But once again he didn’t mention CNN. On top of all that he criticized the ’media’ for coverage he doesn’t like. And, of course, he took no responsibility for his own rhetoric.”
The younger Trump fired back Thursday morning regarding the networks’ coverage.
“Jim, did you or your colleagues take any responsibility for your rhetoric in constantly calling my family Racists and Nazis for 2 years when my wife actually opened an exploding envelope of white powder intended for me?” Mr. Trump Jr. asked. “What about when it happend [sic] to my brother?”
Mr. Acosta’s remarks mirror former CIA Director John O. Brennan — a fierce critic of the president — who tweeted: “Stop blaming others. Look in the mirror. Your inflammatory rhetoric, insults, lies, & encouragement of physical violence are disgraceful. Clean up your act … try to act Presidential.”
The commander in chief maintains that unfair and vitriolic media coverage is warping the perception of millions of Americans regarding his policies and accomplishments.
“It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!” the president tweeted Thursday.
The White House has also noted that assigning blame for the actions of irrational or mentally disturbed individuals is a dangerous road to go down.
“There is a big difference between comments made and actions taken,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Thursday. “The president is certainly not responsible for sending suspicious packages to someone no more than Bernie Sanders was responsible for a supporter of his shooting up a Republican baseball field practice last year.”
Mrs. Sanders’ remarks were in reference to the June 2017 shooting of Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise by James T. Hodgkinson, 66, prior to an annual softball game with Democrats.
The gunman was shot and killed by law enforcement.
Jim, did you or your colleagues take any responsibility for your rhetoric in constantly calling my family Racists and Nazis for 2 years when my wife actually opened an exploding envelope of white powder intended for me? What about when it happend to my brother? https://t.co/TpMTk17x9W
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 25, 2018
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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