White House homeland security adviser Tom Bossert on Sunday insisted President Donald Trump’s tweeted video of himself attacking a figure with the CNN logo for a face is “certainly not” a threat and just shows that he’s a “genuine” person.
Asked to respond on ABC’s “This Week” to the tweet shortly after Trump posted it, Bossert said it was his “first time seeing” the post.
“My first reaction to that tweet would be the same as any of the President’s tweets,” he said. “I’m pretty proud of the President for developing a Twitter and a social media platform where he can talk directly to the American people.”
He said Trump is “the most genuine president and the most non-politician president that we’ve seen in my lifetime.”
“Is that the kind of communication you want? That he’s beating up on somebody? That he’s beating up on the media?” Martha Raddatz asked. “That seems like a threat.”
“Certainly not, though. I think that no one would perceive that as a threat. I hope they don’t,” Bossert said.
He claimed Trump is “beaten up” by cable news coverage of his presidency and “has a right to respond.”
“And you don’t think that’s a threat to anyone? You don’t think that’s sending a message, ‘do that to the media’?” Raddatz pressed.
“No, I certainly don’t. I don’t think so,” Bossert responded. “And I think that, importantly here, he’s a genuine President expressing himself genuinely.”
NEW: Homeland Security Adviser Thomas Bossert on Trump's CNN tweet: "No one would perceive that as a threat. I hope they don't." #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/BfrWWt7buM
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 2, 2017
