Trump claims his tweets about 'Noble Prizes' were 'sarcasm' in day of erratic tweeting


Sarcasm is dead, but irony is still alive and kicking.
President Trump started an active day of tweeting Sunday by wishing first lady Melania Trump a happy 50th birthday, and he ended it by agreeing with himself.
In between, Trump retweeted a bunch of attacks on various Democrats (plus Karen Pence's birthday wishes for his wife), accurately noted he did not call the coronavirus itself a "hoax," insisted he isn't firing Health Secretary Alex Azar, misspelled hamburger in a tweet about his work schedule, said he wants a more pro-Trump alternative to Fox News, and went on a rant about reporters and their "Noble Prizes." He deleted the "hamberger" tweet and the Noble Prize thread.
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.
Some observers assumed Trump had mixed up the Nobel Prize — which does not have a journalism category — and the Pulitzer Prize, and others predicted he would claim he was just being sarcastic, as he had after speculating about injecting disinfectant and "powerful" light into human bodies to kill a virus. Both groups were probably right.
Trump, apparently irked by a report on his TV-heavy schedule, actually left the White House several times in March — rallies in three states, Mar-a-Lago, FEMA headquarters — though maybe it felt like "many months."
On Saturday, Trump blamed the media for ruining his nightly coronavirus briefings. In reality, Trump "was convinced to pause the daily coronavirus briefings because advisers concluded his performances were damaging," The Washington Post's Philip Rucker tweeted. "But instead of adjusting his pandemic messaging, he's still praising himself, attacking reporters, and airing grievances — just all on Twitter."
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.
-
Cocktail of the summer: the Hugo spritz
The Week Recommends The refreshing elderflower-based tipple is giving Aperol a run for its money
-
How the Erin Patterson mushroom trial caught the world's attention
In the Spotlight Australian woman who laced beef wellington with deadly mushrooms found guilty of murder
-
The failed bombings of 21/7
The Explainer The unsuccessful attacks 'unnerved' London and led to a tragic mistake
-
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
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami