Media lauds Trump’s Davos speech as ‘very strong’ as world cringes

Mainstream media outlets on Wednesday once again reported on a strange, rambling speech by President Donald Trump as if it were a normal presentation, continuing the tradition of “sanewashing” his rhetoric and misinforming their audiences.

Trump’s presentation before the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, had him referring to Greenland mistakenly as Iceland as part of his near-constant fuming about the need for the United States to take over sovereign territory.

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But soon after the speech was over, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer characterized Trump’s rant “very strong,” betraying the haphazard and unfocused remarks that had just aired on the news network.

The New York Times reported on the speech in a piece headlined “Trump Threatens Europe Over Greenland but Rules Out Sending Troops.” That was based on Trump’s statement, “I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland.”

But this ignores Trump’s considerable history during his time as a tabloid media figure, a reality TV host, and as a politician during which he has lied with abandon. Trump’s claim that he would not use force against Greenland should rationally be put in context of his past claim that President Barack Obama was not a natural born citizen (a lie) or that climate change was a “hoax” from China (a massive lie).

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During his Davos speech, Trump also claimed that in Greenland, which he referred to as Iceland, they “love me, they call me daddy.” But just this past weekend, a large protest against Trump was held in Greenland, not to mention remarks from Danish leadership.

The strange “daddy” comment—conservatives are obsessed with this cringe-inducing rhetoric—was not noted in the Times report. It was also scrubbed from the Washington Post and Associated Press write-ups.

As they did in his first term, the mainstream media is reporting on a version of Trump that does not exist. They paint Trump as a far more sober and sane person than the man the entire world, including millions of Americans, can see right before their very eyes.

His actions and remarks create global instability and lead to loss of life. But for the mainstream press, sanitizing Trump takes precedent over reporting the truth.

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