Did Trump just invent a quote from a so-called 'cheif hostage negotiator' to praise himself?
President Trump's Friday morning tweet has raised two big questions: Has he never heard of the "i before e" rule, and did he just give himself a new presidential responsibility?
On Friday, Trump tweeted a very complimentary quote from the so-called "cheif hostage negotiator, USA." It's true that America has a "chief hostage negotiator," but it's very unclear where this apparent quote from this unnamed person came from.
One possible explanation would be that Gary Noesner, a former chief of the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit, made one of his occasional TV appearances and said something nice about Trump. But seeing as Fox & Friends doesn't seem to have Noesner on Thursday's lineup, there's also a chance that John Barron has reemerged. Barron is the so-called "Trump Organization representative" who tried to serve Trump stories to New York media back in his real estate days — and who reporters were very aware was Trump himself.
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.
The tweet probably had something to do with a Thursday Washington Post report that said Trump pledged to pay a $2 million hospital bill for Otto Warmbier, who North Korea detained in 2016, and who died six days after he returned to America. After all, Trump denied paying anything to North Korea for Warmbier in a tweet sent just 20 minutes before this one, and also complained about former President Barack Obama's handling of hostage situations.
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
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Parker Palm Springs review: decadence in the California desert
The Week Recommends This over-the-top hotel is a mid-century modern gem
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The real story behind the Stanford Prison Experiment
The Explainer 'Everything you think you know is wrong' about Philip Zimbardo's infamous prison simulation
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Is it safe for refugees to return to Syria?
Talking Point European countries rapidly froze asylum claims after Assad's fall but Syrian refugees may have reason not to rush home
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK 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
-
Biden sets new clemency record, hints at more
Speed Read President Joe Biden commuted a record 1,499 sentences and pardoned 39 others convicted of nonviolent crimes
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Mysterious drones roil New Jersey, prompt FBI inquiry
Speed Read State and federal officials are both stumped and concerned
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
South Korean president vows to fight removal
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol defended his martial law decree and said he will not step down, despite impeachment efforts
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published