Donald Trump was caught by reporters leaving the White House on Wednesday afternoon en route to Dallas to attend a fundraiser event, and it went about as well as it ever does when people stick cameras in his general direction to ask him unscripted questions. At one point, about five minutes into the questioning, the president was asked if maybe he should be more civil as the leader of this country — a fair point when you consider all of the sniping he’s done on Twitter lately, even to members of his own party.
Unfazed as ever, Trump blamed his usual scapegoat. “Well I think the press makes me more uncivil than I am. You know people don’t understand, I went to an Ivy League college … I was a nice student … I did very well … I’m a very intelligent person,” he said. “The fact is,” he continued, “I really believe, the press creates a different image of Donald Trump than the real person.”
Later, Trump responded to a question about Sgt. Johnson’s widow, Myeshia Johnson, by contradicting her account of their phone call, claiming, “I was extremely nice to her, she sounds like a lovely lady, I’ve never seen her, I’ve never met her, but she sounds like a lovely lady, but I was extremely nice to her, I was extremely courteous.”
When pressed on the subject, Trump continued, “I can only say this, I was really nice to her. I respect her, I respect her family, I certainly respect La David, who — by the way, I called La David right from the beginning, just so you understand, they put a chart in front, La David [gesturing], it says La David Johnson. So, I called right from the beginning there’s no hesitation, I have one of the great memories of all time.”
It actually seems as if Donald Trump is doing just a fine job of creating an image of Donald Trump, the real person — as many pointed out on Twitter in regards to his “Ivy League” remarks.
https://twitter.com/kashanacauley/status/923260509717008384
https://twitter.com/bessbell/status/923262860091826176
partial list of ivy league college students: @realDonaldTrump
lyle menendez
the unabomber
the roadside strangler@IvankaTrump— Dave King (@DaveKingThing) October 25, 2017
In Trump's defense, another one of our genius Presidents went to an Ivy League college… pic.twitter.com/gWutWEDisQ
— Sophie Vershbow (@svershbow) October 25, 2017
Ah yes, the Ivy League, known for producing absolutely zero assholes.
— Isaac Fitzgerald (@IsaacFitzgerald) October 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/BenjySarlin/status/923233958816559106
https://twitter.com/rauchway/status/923254582381178880
And then he said, “I went to an Ivy League college, I’m a very intelligent person.” pic.twitter.com/3cBDw7fEPA
— Kristen Hillaire Glasgow (@KHGlasgow) October 25, 2017
You transferred into Penn, and like Jared, your dad paid your way in. That doesn't make you smart (or diminish the Ivy League). https://t.co/rjOt5bQQr0
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) October 25, 2017
Rich white guys going to Ivy League schools in the 60's is quite possibly the least impressive thing ever.
— Sperry Bonds (@TheTopGrant) October 25, 2017
You can watch his full Q&A below: