President Donald Trump ran afoul of CNN’s communications team and billionaire investor Mark Cuban with his latest round of derisive early morning tweets posted Sunday.
Trump went after CNN, one of his favorite targets, calling the network “FAKE NEWS” and accusing it of cutting off Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for using the same phrase.
CNN’s communications team responded by posting a transcript of Erin Burnett’s interview with Sanders.
“He was not cut off,” CNN responded. “Those are the facts.”
While on FAKE NEWS @CNN, Bernie Sanders was cut off for using the term fake news to describe the network. They said technical difficulties!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2017
@realDonaldTrump False. Transcript from @ErinBurnett intvu w @SenSanders. He was not cut off. Those are the facts. https://t.co/NzJNgdYSIX pic.twitter.com/AOFKLHUlGk
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) February 12, 2017
The network previously used the phrase “those are the facts,” apparently a new hallmark of its official statements contradicting the Trump administration, in response to White House claims that CNN retracted concerns about top adviser Kellyanne Conway’s credibility. It also used the phrase with regard to Trump’s incorrect claim that CNN’s Chris Cuomo failed to question Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on his military record.
The President went after notorious Donald Trump troll Mark Cuban in a tweet posted a little over an hour later.
“I know Mark Cuban well. He backed me big-time,” Trump tweeted. “He’s not smart enough to run for president!”
Cuban had a succinct response to Trump’s claims.
I know Mark Cuban well. He backed me big-time but I wasn’t interested in taking all of his calls.He’s not smart enough to run for president!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2017
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) February 12, 2017
Cuban in fact backed Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election. Once rumored to be one of the names on Trump’s list of vice presidential picks, Cuban was the leading skeptic with regard to the then-candidate’s claims about his personal wealth.
During the election, he offered to donate $10 million to a charity of Trump’s choice—or to Trump himself—to sit for an interview about policy during which he would not be allowed to mention the Clintons.
