Alex Brandon/AP
On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump achieved what might be the apex of a weekend full of reckless Twitter diplomacy. As best I can tell (bear with me, it’s a weird one, folks): The president went to Twitter…to tell Congress…that he can attack Iran…without its permission (?)
These Media Posts will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any U.S. person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner. Such legal notice is not required, but is given nevertheless!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2020
Setting aside the fact that these assertions are based on a backward reading of the Constitution (Congress gives the executive branch the “legal notice” to declare war, not the other way around), what are we even supposed to make of memos to Congress delivered via Twitter? What if some lawmakers are practicing mindfulness in the new year and turned off their notifications? What is a “Media Post?” What the hell is any of this?
Yesterday, Trump tweeted that he was contemplating some international war crimes. Today, his brain is just leaking onto his phone keyboard. It’s not too late to resolve to tweet less, Mr. President!
