President Trump has been in office for barely two months and already, The Wall Street Journal contends in a scathing editorial published Wednesday, his credibility is shot. Given Trump's penchant for exaggeration and his refusal to back off his baseless claim that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his phones at Trump Tower, The Wall Street Journal editorial wonders: "If President Trump announces that North Korea launched a missile that landed within 100 miles of Hawaii, would most Americans believe him? Would the rest of the world?"
The editorial argues Trump is quickly becoming "his own worst enemy," seemingly beholden to the "sin of pride in not admitting error." Already, Trump's successes are getting buried by his refusal to back off the wiretapping claim, which not one government official has been able to offer evidence to support.
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.
While Trump may have been able to escape the effects of his "false claims" when he was still a presidential candidate, the editorial contends that was because "his core supporters treated it as mere hyperbole and his opponent was untrustworthy Hillary Clinton." Trump won't enjoy the same benefit of the doubt now that he's president. "As he is learning with the health-care bill, Mr. Trump needs partners in his own party to pass his agenda," the editorial says. "He also needs friends abroad who are willing to trust him when he asks for support, not least in a crisis."
Read the full editorial at The Wall Street Journal.
-
September 3 editorial cartoonsCartoons Wednesday’s political cartoons include news from the war front in Ukraine, RFK Jr. riding the Grim Reaper, and a Donald Trump cabinet meeting
-
Why high-street coffee chains may have had their dayIn the Spotlight Rising costs of coffee, energy and payroll, plus growing appetite for luxury drinks like matcha, has caused boom in independent and speciality coffee shops
-
GPS jamming: a new danger to civil aircraftThe Explainer Use of the 'invisible threat' is on the rise
-
Trump crypto token launch earns family billionsSpeed Read The World Liberty Financial token is now the Trump family's 'most valuable asset'
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revoltSpeed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich throwerSpeed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodusSpeed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official saysSpeed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judgesSpeed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policingSpeed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa CookSpeed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
