Donald Trump's Tweet from El Paso: Reflections on Media Bias and Leadership
On his recent tweet from El Paso, Donald Trump stated, "Leaving El Paso. What great people I met there and in Dayton Ohio. The Fake News worked overtime trying to disparage me. The love, respect, and enthusiasm were there for all to see."
The Contrast Between Media and Public Sentiment
The tweet is a stark contrast to the massive rallies he has, yet highlights the continuous hate he receives from the media. A foreigner observing the news might easily conclude that Trump has a single-digit approval rating. However, as indicated by the tweets of his supporters, news articles, while influential, do not necessarily determine behavior or voting patterns.
Understanding Insecurity Behind Such Statements
Anyone who makes a statement like "The Fake News worked overtime trying to disparage me" is likely extremely insecure and probably feels unloved. This sentiment is echoed by the author who had stopped thinking much of Donald Trump years ago. Trump's primary concern seems to be his public image and how he is perceived—especially with love.
Evaluation of Trump's Leadership and Communication
The author found Trump's actions and words to be more concerned with himself and his family, eventually circling back to the general public. When Trump interacts with constituents, such as thumbing up a kid who lost both parents, or asking dumb questions to a woman who survived rape and championed women's rights, the author is not surprised. This behavior is expected, given Trump's history of controversial comments and the lack of control from his advisors.
A More Appropriate Response to the Shooting
Instead of focusing on himself and dismissing the victims, a more appropriate response would have addressed the tragedy. Alternative tweets such as:
"Leaving El Paso. Many amazing people there and in Dayton banded together to help the victims and survivors. The victims of this senseless tragedy will be forever in our hearts. God bless them and God bless America."
"Leaving El Paso. Watching the strong communities of Dayton and El Paso rally behind the victims, survivors, and all the affected family and friends reminds us that even on our darkest nights, Americans hold each other up."
"Leaving El Paso. It is truly inspirational to see the people of Dayton and El Paso banded together and lifting each other up as they, along with the rest of our nation, mourn the terrible losses their communities have seen."
These tweets were written by the author to demonstrate how a president should conduct himself and communicate with his constituents in a manner that is better thought out.
The Reaction to Trump's Visit
While many victims and their families did not want to meet with him, the mayor of El Paso, Dee Margo, indicated that his visit was purely an official duty. Other officials from El Paso were more direct in their dislike, with Rep Veronica Escobar stating, "From my perspective, he is not welcome here. He should not come here while we are in mourning. I would encourage the president’s staff members to have him do a little self-reflection. I would encourage them to show him his own words and his actions at the rallies."
Beto O’Rourke, a former congressman of El Paso, stated that "Trump had 'no place' in El Paso after he helped create the hatred that made Saturday’s tragedy possible."
Trump's Response to Criticism
During a rally, Trump asked, "When you have 15000 people marching up and you have hundreds and hundreds of people and you have two or three border-security people that are brave and great—and don’t forget we don’t let them and we can’t let them use weapons . . . other countries do we can’t I would never do that. But how do you stop these people You can’t." Then, when a supporter of his called out "Shoot them!" Trump laughed and responded, "You can only get away with that in panhandle."
It is clear that Trump's response to this criticism was not adult. This incident highlights the need for a president to respond appropriately to hostile situations and respect the feelings and wishes of the community.
Conclusion
Trump's tweet from El Paso and his overall response to the shooting in El Paso and the criticism he faced were self-centered and ignored the victims, survivors, and their families. It was also extremely inappropriate given the circumstances and the opposition he faced. A leader who genuinely cares about the well-being of his or her constituents would have approached this situation with more empathy and respect for the victims and their families.