What debate prep?
President Trump had a lot on his mind as he took to Twitter on the eve of his first debate against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Trump’s Monday morning tweets went from reviving his ongoing baseless crusade against mail-in voting to launching yet another nonsensical attack against Biden, all while he continues to vehemently dismiss the New York Times’ bombshell report on his decades of tax avoidance as “fake news.”
The President, without evidence, first re-upped his unfounded claims that mail-in voting will lead to voter fraud. His tweet prompted a Twitter label that links to reports debunking Trump’s baseless claim.
Last week, during a White House press conference, Trump refused to guarantee a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the November presidential election to Biden, while ranting against mail-in voting as more states expand access in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans thus far.
“Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation. The ballots are out of control. You know it,” Trump said at the time. “And you know who knows it better than anybody else? Democrats know it better than anybody else.”
Here’s Trump’s Monday morning tweet:
The Ballots being returned to States cannot be accurately counted. Many things are already going very wrong!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 28, 2020
Minutes later, Trump once again denied the Times’ bombshell report on his decades-long tax evasion as “fake news,” much like he did during his press conference at the White House on Sunday.
The Fake News Media, just like Election time 2016, is bringing up my Taxes & all sorts of other nonsense with illegally obtained information & only bad intent. I paid many millions of dollars in taxes but was entitled, like everyone else, to depreciation & tax credits…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 28, 2020
…..Financial Statements, from the time I announced I was going to run for President, showing all properties, assets and debts. It is a very IMPRESSIVE Statement, and also shows that I am the only President on record to give up my yearly $400,000 plus Presidential Salary!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 28, 2020
The President didn’t take long to pivot back to attacking Biden by renewing his call for the former VP — who Trump has repeatedly mocked for his age and mental agility — to take a drug test ahead of their first presidential debate.
Joe Biden just announced that he will not agree to a Drug Test. Gee, I wonder why?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 28, 2020
On Sunday, Trump “strongly” demanded that Biden take a drug test before the debate as he baselessly suggested that the former VP used drugs to improve his public performance.
“I will be strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night. Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy???” Trump tweeted on Sunday morning.
The President reiterated his unfounded allegations against Biden while speaking to reporters during his press conference at the White House on Sunday.
“I am not joking. I am willing to take a drug test, and he should too,” Trump said, as he characterized Biden’s performance in past debates as uneven.
The President then claimed, without evidence, that “a lot of people” say that Biden was on “performance-enhancing drugs” during past debates, before telling reporters to look on the Internet.
Trump’s first debate against Biden on Tuesday evening comes as trails Biden by a substantial margin in nationwide polls. The President told reporters on Monday that his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) are helping him prepare for the upcoming presidential debate.
