'Who's in charge?' Critics alarmed as Trump repeatedly claims ignorance
President Donald Trump’s grasp of what’s happening on his watch is being debated as the 78-year-old increasingly responds, “I don’t know” when asked basic questions.
Despite swearing — for the second time now — an oath to the U.S. Constitution, the President of the United States, when asked if he is obligated to “uphold the Constitution,” told NBC News’ Kristen Welker, “I don’t know.”
Trump, as The New York Times pointed out, offered the same answer when asked if everyone in the U.S. should be afforded due process rights—which are mandated by the Constitution.
“I don’t know,” the president replied, twice. “I’m not, I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know.”
VoteVets, a progressive political action committee (PAC), served up a scathing rebuke.
“He’s taken the oath twice — but now he’s not sure if due process matters. That’s not a gaffe. That’s a warning. Believe him. He’s telling you what he may burn down next,” the group posted on social media.
The nonpartisan advocacy group Patriotic Millionaires, which works to have wealthy Americans pay a larger portion in taxes and says “tax the rich” on its website, pointed to the president’s “I don’t know” response to upholding the Constitution.
“That is something that an authoritarian-dictator-wannabe would say, and we should absolutely take him at his word when he says this,” they wrote.
When Welker asked if he would run for a third term, Trump said he would not but admitted “I don’t know” if the Constitution prohibits it, but it’s “something you’re not allowed to do,” he said.
Back in April, Trump told reporters, “Many, many people come from the Congo. I don’t know what that is, but they came from the Congo.”
On Wednesday, in an Oval Office press gaggle, reporters asked, “Mr. President, is your administration sending migrants to Libya?”
“I don’t know,” Trump replied. “You’ll have to ask Homeland Security.”
Also on Wednesday, a reporter told Trump, “Your Treasury Secretary just told lawmakers that a tariff exemption for certain baby items like car seats is under consideration. Will you exempt some products that families rely on?”
“I don’t know,” was the President’s response, adding he will “think about it.”
Trump was also asked about U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) announcing he opposed Trump’s pick to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
“I didn’t know that,” the President told reporters.
Back in October, after his infamous “they’re eating the dogs” attack on immigrants, Trump went on Fox News and was told, “You said ‘they’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats.’ That turned out not to be true.”
“I don’t know if it’s true or not,” the President quickly replied.
“You don’t know? It’s been debunked,’ the Fox News host declared.
“What about the goose, the geese? What about the geese? What happened there?” he was asked.
“I have no idea,” was the President’s reply.
The Atlantic’s James Surowiecki, author of The Wisdom of Crowds, back in March noted, “Trump also didn’t know that his administration had invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport Tren de Aragua members, even though he had supposedly signed the executive order invoking it. ‘I don’t know when it was signed, because I didn’t sign it,’ he said.”
And when SignalGate hit, Trump told reporters, “I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic. To me it’s a magazine that’s going out of business. But I know nothing about it. You’re saying that they had what?”
Trump’s “I don’t know” remarks have become so frequent some have started to question why.
“Is somebody keeping a tracker of President ‘I don’t know’ Trump’s I don’t knows?” asked former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Juliette Kayyem. “It’s getting ridiculous. From Supreme Court decisions, to Libya prisons, to nominees, he has one answer. It’s not acceptable. He either isn’t in charge, is lying or has no capacity. I don’t know.”
It appears CNN has, at least in part, been keeping track.
On Thursday, Trump announced his new, highly-controversial Surgeon General nominee. Asked why he picked her, Trump replied, “Because Bobby thought she was fantastic,” but, “I don’t know her.”
MSNBC columnist Michael A. Cohen commented, “Yet another piece of evidence that Trump is a bystander to the actions of his administration.”
CNN medical analyst Jonathan Reiner remarked, “The president says he doesn’t know the new Surgeon General but he appointed her because ‘Bobby thought she was terrific’. Who’s in charge here?”