Trump aides, allies ready to move on from 'rocky' inaugural weekend


President Trump woke up Saturday fuming over tweets from Friday afternoon unfavorably comparing the size of his inaugural crowd to those of former President Barack Obama, The New York Times reports, citing "several people close to him." Several senior advisers reportedly urged him to move on, while other aides, including press secretary Sean Spicer, encouraged him to hit back at the press — which Trump did, at CIA headquarters on Saturday, saying he has a "running war with the media" and accusing the press of lying about his inaugural crowd, which he incorrectly pegged at about 1.5 million.
Spicer then held his first press briefing and told the gathered reporters that Trump's was "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period," which is demonstrably false. Senior counselor Kellyanne Conway said on Meet the Press Sunday that Spicer was citing "alternative facts," and White House chief of staff Reince Preibus said the media was trying to delegitimize Trump's win. By Sunday night, Trump friends and allies were telling the media they were ready to hit the reset button.
"They got off to a very rocky start because they see everyone as adversaries," Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy, a Trump friend who talks with him often, told Politico. Trump is surrounded by new people, Ruddy said, and "one of the things they don't understand about him is he likes pushback. They are not giving him the pushback he needs when he's giving advice.... If he doesn't have people who can tell him no, this is not going to go very well." Another "person who frequently talks to Trump" agreed, specifying that aides have to control information that sets him off, Politico reports. "He gets bored and likes to watch TV, this person said, so it is important to minimize that."
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.
"The truth of the matter is he had a successful inauguration with a respectful crowd. The transition of power went off without a hitch. His supporters were amiable by and large," presidential historian Douglas Brinkley told Politico. "But then he can never let go and stop watching cable TV. Now he's off to the worst start of a presidency in a very long time."
Other Trump friends said the new president is just being the "folksy" leader his supporters love, arguing that the media doesn't have much credibility. But even allies urged aides to contain Trump's worst impulses. "It's unconventional at best and disastrous at worst," said Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.), whose governorship was derailed when he disappeared to meet his foreign mistress, telling aides he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. "These distractions have the capacity to sink his entire administration."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Jeffrey Epstein's secrets
Feature Six years after his death, conspiracy theories still swirl around the sex trafficker. Why?
-
Voting: Trump's ominous war on mail ballots
Feature Donald Trump wants to sign an executive order banning mail-in ballots for the 2026 midterms
-
School phone bans: Why they're spreading
Feature 17 states are imposing all-day phone bans in schools
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
-
Florida aims to end all state vaccine requirements
Speed Read Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to cut vaccine access and install anti-vaccine activists at the FDA and CDC
-
US kills 11 on 'drug-carrying boat' off Venezuela
Speed Read Trump claimed those killed in the strike were 'positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists' shipping drugs to the US