Trump knocks Ian Bremmer for ‘completely ludicrous quote’
President Trump on Monday slammed journalist and New York University professor Ian Bremmer for attributing a “completely ludicrous quote” to him.
“.@ianbremmer now admits that he MADE UP ‘a completely ludicrous quote,’ attributing it to me,” Trump tweeted amid a four-day state visit to Japan.
“This is what’s going on in the age of Fake News,” Trump added. “People think they can say anything and get away with it. Really, the libel laws should be changed to hold Fake News Media accountable!”
.@ianbremmer now admits that he MADE UP “a completely ludicrous quote,” attributing it to me. This is what’s going on in the age of Fake News. People think they can say anything and get away with it. Really, the libel laws should be changed to hold Fake News Media accountable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2019
{mosads}Bremmer in a since-deleted post on Twitter quoted Trump as saying “Kim Jong Un is smarter and would make a better President than Sleepy Joe Biden.”
He also responded to a Twitter user questioning the validity of the quote by saying “it’s plausible” and in another post said he was commenting on the “state of media and the twitterverse today,” according to screenshots.
In another post, he reportedly said his initial tweet included “a completely ludicrous quote.”
“And yet kinda plausible,” he added. “Especially on twitter, where people automatically support whatever political position they have. That’s the point.”
Many journalists, including some traveling with Trump in Japan, quickly noted Bremmer’s quote was fabricated.
UPDATE: @ianbremmer has now admitted that he fabricated this viral Trump quote. And yet it is being shared by journalists and congressmen as if it is real. pic.twitter.com/QgNd9DnN8g
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) May 26, 2019
When you put out a fake Trump quote without any indication you were making it up, and then blame the readers for not realizing you were making the quote up.
Nice work, @ianbremmer. You’re only helping the cause of people like Trump who want to label everything “fake news.” pic.twitter.com/BYYKmNmDNU
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) May 26, 2019
Trump did write while in Japan that he smiled when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called former Vice President Joe Biden a “Swampman” and “low IQ individual & worse.”
North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, & also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Biden a low IQ individual, & worse. Perhaps that’s sending me a signal?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2019
Bremmer apologized after Trump’s tweet on Monday, saying his initial post was “meant in jest.”
“The President correctly quoted me as saying it was a ‘completely ludicrous’ statement,” he added. “I should have been clearer. My apologies.”
My tweet yesterday about Trump preferring Kim Jong Un to Biden as President was meant in jest. The President correctly quoted me as saying it was a “completely ludicrous” statement. I should have been clearer. My apologies.
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) May 27, 2019
–This report was updated at 11:04 a.m.
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