U.S. President Donald Trump has a long history of making enemies out of people he has praised. From his longtime lawyer and “arbitrator” Michael Cohen, to former cabinet officials, Trump consistently puts pressure on those he feels have offended him.
Now, as he continues his efforts to deny Joe Biden’s main influence, a new list of Trump’s friends-to-enemies has emerged: a group of staunch supporters loyal, now on the way out because Trump feels they betrayed them.
Attorney General Bill Barr
Minutes after Biden’s election College victory was confirmed, Trump announced that Barr had resigned, effective a month before his term was about to expire. While Trump has insisted that Barr is leaving on good deals, considering Trump reminding Barr after his comments in early December to the Associated Press that he did not see “fraud on scale that may have given the election a different outcome ”.
Trump is also concerned at Barr for not quickly following up a decision from the Justice Department’s investigation into how the FBI handled their investigation into Trump’s campaign.
Shortly after Barr’s comments to the AP, Trump was asked if he had “confidence” in Barr, and Trump refused to respond.
And just before Barr submitted his letter of office, Trump called it out on Twitter for not doing enough in terms of investigations into the foreign affairs of Biden’s son, Hunter.
Why Bill Barr didn’t reveal the truth to the public, before the Election, about Hunter Biden. Joe was lying on the stage of the debate that nothing was wrong, or going on – Press confirmed. Big disadvantage for Republicans at polls!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 12 December 2020
Fox news
To say that Trump had a relaxed relationship with Fox News that is approaching right is stressing things out a bit. But despite years of exclusive interviews and almost inadvertent support from many of the network’s hosts, Trump has now accepted to disregard Fox programs instead of more news. storage, not on the network.
.@FoxNews there is no watch during the day. In class with CNN & MSDNC. check out @OANN, @newsmax and others who pick up the slack. Even a boring football game, on his knees and all, is even better!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 6 December 2020
What turned it off? First, it was clearly expected that Fox would be the first network to predict on election night that Joe Biden would win Arizona, something Trump believes set down an early statement that he would lose the election to Biden in the end. His anger escalated after Fox News host Sunday Sunday Chris Wallace corrected a correspondent referring to Biden as president to regular Fox News guest Geraldo Rivera, admitting that Trump is not “talking me now because my chosen post is over ”.
Trump, in particular, appears to be attacking Fox News “during the day”, where the sections are heavier than the late-night programs, based on comments in Hannity and Carlson divisions. The president is now proposing that his supporters get their news from programs like Newsmax and OANN, two networks that helped Trump and his supporters encourage the unsubstantiated claims that they were elected. ” rigged ”and“ stolen ”by the Democrats from Trump.
.@FoxNews it is almost impossible to travel during the day, especially during the weekend. Look @OANN, @newsmax, or almost anything else. You won’t have to suffer through endless interviews with the Democrats, and even worse!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2020
Republican of Georgia
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp was confirmed by Trump in 2018 and Kemp supported and campaigned for Trump in 2020, but now finds himself facing re-election with the president already building on . As governor, Kemp eventually signed the confirmation of the results of the primary election in Georgia, where the state voted for a Democratic primary candidate for the first time since 1992.
Do something @BrianKempGA. Let your state be scammed. We need to check signatures and count envelopes with names against votes. Then turn off the selection. It will not be needed. We all LOVE! https://t.co/UiJrlyBGiK
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1 December 2020
By this time, Trump saw himself as a key factor in winning Kemp’s election, saying in a press conference in April “I worked really hard to elect him … he ended up earning a primary from after I came out and supported him. So, lots of good stuff and a lot of good feeling between me and Brian Kemp. I really like it. “
Nevertheless, the Trump administration is now including the state’s top Republican for not interfering in the vote-counting process to benefit Trump.
How is the Governor @BrianKempGA allow votes to be confirmed without verification of signatures despite the fact that the recently released ballot tape has been filled out? His voting numbers have dropped like a rock. He is ready as a ruler! @RepDougCollins
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 10 December 2020
In retaliation, Trump began urging one of his unsuspecting supporters, U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, to run against Kemp in 2022. “Doug, do you want to run for governor in two years?” Trump said at a rally in Valdosta, Georgia, earlier this month, that Collins would be “a good-looking governor”.
Georgia Lt. Governor @GeoffDuncanGA the RINO Never Trumper who was chosen as LG by being considered a “pro-Trump”. Too dark or corrupt to identify massive evidence of a lump in GA and should be replaced! We need to call out all good Georgians! #SpecialSession!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 8 December 2020
Trump’s anger was also directed at other key Georgia Republicans, including Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both of whom were not loyal enough, in Trump’s opinion. In fact, they, along with Kemp, were just following a standard procedure for counting and verifying state votes.
Despite Raffensperger’s claim that he has been a lifelong Republican and insisted that he hoped Trump would win the election, Trump responded again with calls for his retire.
Brad Raffensperger will be the exclusive Secretary of State for Georgia – he will work closely with it @BrianKempGA. It ‘s really important to get out and vote for Brad – vote early….
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2018
Why not the @GASecofState Brad Raffensperger, a so-called Republican, lets look at envelopes on envelopes for confirmation? We will find tens of thousands of fraudulent and illegal votes…
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2020
Governor doug ducey
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, like Kemp, has been resisting a blow after signing results in general election results in Arizona, taking Biden’s election votes in another former Republican state. previously reliable.
This is far from Trump’s words to Ducey during his October campaign, calling Ducey “one of the best rulers in the country”, going further saying, “There is no one else on earth but maybe Doug Ducey who could have handled the waste I had to handle ”. So how does Trump go from “anything we can do, you’re going to call me” to saying that Ducey has “betrayed the American people”?
Governor @DougDucey of Arizona doing a good job. Doug is strong on Crime, the Frontier, and our Second Amendment. Our Arms & Vets are loved. Vote for Doug, he fully supports me!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2018
Ducey has come out strongly in his own defense, saying “If you want to question the results, now is the time. Take your challenges. That’s the law. I have vowed to support him, and I take my responsibility very seriously. “
Why is he in a hurry to appoint a Democrat, especially when so many horrific voter fraud are revealed at the hearing going on right now. @OANN What’s up @dougduceyA Republican will remember long! https://t.co/XILGaHcyw7
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2020
Former esper signal protection secretary
When Mark Esper was promoted to acting secretary of defense in June 2019, Trump said he had “no doubt he will do an admirable job!”
…. I thank Pat for his outstanding service and nominate Army Secretary Mark Esper as Acting Secretary of Defense. I know Mark, and there is no doubt that he will do an admirable job!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2019
Esper was subsequently fired last month, and was fired only shortly after Esper publicly agreed with Trump mid-year, saying U.S. military action should used to dispel protests in the streets of America.
Following protests and explosions in several U.S. cities following the death of George Floyd in the police in May, Trump threatened to “impose the federal government… and that includes his using the limitless power of our weapons ”.
Crossing state lines to incite violence is FEDERAL CHRIST! Liberal Governors and Mayors need to be MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will come in and do what needs to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our weapons and many people arrested. Thank you!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020
Esper told reporters that the weapon, “should only be used as a last resort and only in the most urgent and worst-case situations”.
Esper’s work was considered in jeopardy after that idea and Trump rejected it on Nov. 9.
Chris Chris will do a great job! Mark Esper was finished. I would like to thank him for his service.
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2020