Trump mentioned Hillary Clinton 11 times in his press conference. He mentioned Alex Acosta 3 times.
President Trump's press conference Thursday may have been billed as an announcement about new labor secretary nominee Alex Acosta, but it was so much more than that. After mentioning Acosta twice during his opening remarks, Trump veered into his campaign promises and, of course, his campaign competitor, Hillary Clinton.
In the course of a 76-minute press conference, Trump managed to utter the name of the woman who lost the presidential election in November a grand total of 11 times. That's not even including the more implicit mentions, like when Trump falsely claimed he won the election with 306 electoral votes (he won 304) and landed more Electoral College votes than anyone since former President Ronald Reagan (former President Barack Obama won 332 in 2012).
Trump's first Clinton call-out was a reference to Clinton allegedly receiving a presidential debate question in advance, which happened months ago when Trump and Clinton were still vying for the White House. "Nobody mentions that Hillary received the questions to the debates. Can you imagine — seriously — can you imagine if I received the questions? It would be the electric chair," Trump said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He then turned to how Clinton tried to "do a reset with Russia" while she was secretary of state and gave Russia "20 percent of the uranium in the country." "Hillary Clinton did a reset, remember?" Trump said. "With the stupid plastic button that made us all look like a bunch of jerks." At another point, Trump asked the audience if anybody really thought Clinton "would be tougher on Russia than Donald Trump."
You may recall: Trump defeated Clinton to win the White House three months ago. To be fair, Acosta's name did come up a third time towards the end of the press conference when Trump jokingly asked CNN reporter Jim Acosta — with whom he has publicly sparred — if he was related to his new pick for secretary of labor.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why are home insurance prices going up?
Today's Big Question Climate-driven weather events are raising insurers' costs
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'All too often, we get caught up in tunnel vision'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of legacy media failures
In the Spotlight From election criticism to continued layoffs, the media has had it rough in 2024
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published