August 15, 2019

Here’s Your Daily Culture War Exercise From the President

TNS via ZUMA

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Donald Trump sure does know how to keep the culture wars front and center:

At the urging of President Trump, Israel on Thursday took the extraordinary step of barring two Democratic U.S. congresswomen who have been outspoken critics of the president from visiting the country.

Trump, who has launched a campaign against Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, tweeted Thursday: “It would show great weakness if Israel allowed” the women to visit, claiming: “They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds.”

After Trump’s tweet, the Israeli government announced it would ban the women from an upcoming congressional trip. Both are outspoken critics of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and support a boycott of Israel.

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by this kind of attention-mongering from Trump, nor should I be surprised that Benjamin Netanyahu went along with it. They’re peas in a pod, and their respective bases love this kind of petty retribution.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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