Say what you want about the conservative anti-Trump super PAC the Lincoln Project, but they are quick on the draw. Reporters started revealing scandalous tidbits from former National Security Adviser John Bolton's tell-all about his time in President Trump's White House on Wednesday, and it didn't take more than a few hours for the Lincoln Project to use one of Bolton's biggest bombshells in a new ad arguing that Trump is continually losing against China — or at least the United States is losing under Trump's dealmaking skills.
China knows "who Donald Trump is — weak, corrupt, ridiculed," the ad claims. "China beats him every time. No matter what he says, China's got his number. Trump even begged Chinese leader Xi to help him win re-election, like a dog." The gratuitous "like a dog" is the Lincoln Project's addition, but the begging for re-election help is from Bolton's copious notes.
Trump has made clear in his own campaign ads, tweets, and public statements that he hopes to hit former Vice President Joe Biden as soft on and subservient to China. Yes, Trump publicly asked China to investigate the Bidens, but he has also "spent months claiming China is secretly working to help his opponent," Jonathan Chait writes at New York. "It seemed as if Trump's motivation for leveling this baseless charge was deflection. ... But it turns out Trump's actual motive was projection."
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.
-
August 30 editorial cartoonsCartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump's role reversal and King George III
-
5 bullseye cartoons about the reasons for mass shootingsCartoons Artists take on gun worship, a price paid, and more
-
Lisa Cook and Trump's battle for control the US FedTalking Point The president's attempts to fire one of the Federal Reserve's seven governor is represents 'a stunning escalation' of his attacks on the US central bank
-
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
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportationSpeed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
