In a move that’s bound to dominate headlines across major networks, Donald Trump recently took to Twitter to criticize Chelsea Manning, whose 35-year prison sentence was recently commuted by former President Barack Obama. According to The Hill:
In her first column since President Obama commuted her sentence for leaking classified documents, Manning stated that Obama had “few permanent accomplishments.” “This vulnerable legacy should remind us that what we really need is a strong and unapologetic progressive to lead us. What we need as well is a relentless grassroots movement to hold that leadership accountable,” she wrote in The Guardian. “The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: do not start off with a compromise. They won’t meet you in the middle,” she added.
President Trump wasted no time in responding to Manning’s comments with a tweet of his own:
Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017
While Obama maintained that Manning had paid her debt to society and that “justice has been served,” Trump’s tweet took a less forgiving stance, labeling her an ungrateful traitor. However, the most intriguing aspect of this tweet isn’t the fact that Trump decided to post it at 6 am or his use of exclamation points. Rather, it’s the subtle praise for Obama that seems to be hidden within the message. After countless tirades and blaming the Obama administration for ISIS and numerous other global issues, Trump appears to be siding with the former President, even implying that he was a good leader.
Could this tweet be an attempt to divert attention from the numerous policy changes he’s made regarding women’s health and pipelines this week? It’s certainly a possibility worth considering.
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