In private, Trump reportedly calls Rob Porter a 'sick puppy,' says he believes the ex-wives


In public, President Trump has given former White House staff secretary Rob Porter the benefit of the doubt, wishing him well on Friday while reminding reporters "you have to remember that he said very strongly yesterday that he's innocent" of domestic violence against his ex-wives. On Saturday, Trump lamented on Twitter that "lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation" with no "Due Process." But privately, Jonathan Swan reports at Axios, Trump "has told multiple people that he believes the accusations about Porter, and finds him 'sick.'"
Trump's split public-private reaction to the Porter allegations "is the strongest indicator yet that Trump will reflexively defend his male allies from any and all accusations, even when he thinks those accusations are true," Swan says. "Trump tells friends that he deplores the #MeToo movement and believes it unfairly exposes CEOs to lawsuits from their female employees." Still, Trump told associates that men who beat their wives, like child molesters, are "sick puppies," Axios reports, and Trump was shocked that a guy like Porter, "straight out of central casting," was violent with women.
Regardless of his private views, "White House aides acknowledged that the Porter scandal is all-consuming, even for an administration that is used to bouncing from crisis to crisis," Politico reports, and it's testing the patience of Trump allies. "The president is more interested in promoting what he considers star casting than competent people," one prominent Republican close to the White House and congressional Republicans tells Politico. "This chases the competent people out (or keeps them away) and empowers the people who look good on paper or in front of a camera."
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.
A senior administration official shrugged, expressing confidence that Trump's Twitter feed can shift attention to immigration. "We have an uncanny ability to change news cycles," the official told Politico. "I think he'll be able to shift it to what he wants."
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.
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling