RIFT: Why Trump just attacked his former favorite press secretary
Donald Trump made a new enemy last night over some milk and toast.
It is a given that Trump’s transactional psyche renders even best friends one “wrong word” away from a box car on the DeSantis disloyalty train.
But even Trump has favorites — mostly beautiful women — that get a little more leeway than others.
Former White House Press Secretary — and current Fox News host — Kayleigh McEnany fit that category right up until she didn’t.
Last night, Trump didn’t like the poll numbers Kayleigh cited and bestowed her with a nickname, proof positive that he considers her a RINO, globalist enemy.
Trump trashes Kayleigh McEnany. pic.twitter.com/aylP807XKF
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) May 31, 2023
Milktoast? Yes, it’s misspelled, and he actually means milquetoast, which Google defines as a timid or feeble person.
One can accept the reference and refuse to correct Trump’s misspelling, and that’s exactly what will be done here.
So Trump is saying that Kayleigh is too timid to make up her own poll? Or cite his favorite old one?
Trump’s head will explode if DeSantis gets within single digits. Trump is obsessed with destroying the DeSantis campaign before it gets off the ground.
The Daily Mail brings us the set-up and transcript that tossed Kayleigh over the MAGA board:
“During her appearance on the network’s show Outnumbered, McEnany briefly discussed recent polling in Iowa, which suggests DeSantis is narrowing the gap with the former president since he formally announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination last week.”
‘The Desantis team would say we just had polling comes out that shows we closed the gap by nine points since we announced in Iowa. Still, Trump is hugely ahead but they say they are closing the gap. If you look at polling it was Trump 34 in Iowa and it’s now 25. That’s double-digits.'”
Sigh. Kayleigh? If you are referencing the number of points gained, nine is still single digits. You were sooo close.
But Kayleigh is no longer loyal, a “Republican,” or for “America First,” because she should not have reported the poll or disclaimed on air that the numbers are clearly wrong because DeSantis cannot come within less than 34 points of Trump.
Those were her choices, it seems — at least from Trump’s statement. In his eyes, she failed.
Trump may come to regret this move and might have to offer some kind of “Trumpian” retraction, saying he didn’t mean to hold it against her or something.
Because Kayleigh was and remains the ultimate MAGA-man’s fantasy, they all think they may be with her someday, no matter how Christian either is.
They love her.
MAGAs quickly let Trump know this was a bad move. (report continues below)
Trump's over the top attack on Kayleigh McEnany make no sense, especially over something as silly as a misread poll number.
He knows she is loved by MAGA and the GOP, and respected by the entire legacy media.
He did real damage to his own campaign. Something else is going on.
— Peter Henlein (@SwissWatchGuy) May 31, 2023
Meanwhile, liberals couldn’t have enjoyed it more while also pointing out some serious reality: (report continues below)
If anyone needs me, I’ll be laughing for all eternity at “Milktoast.” pic.twitter.com/fw53uhDI08
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) May 31, 2023
It is very difficult to determine which poll Kay-Mac referenced, but this seemed to be the one that Twitter settled on:
IOWA 2024 TRENDS by Trump's pollster McLaughlin and Associates
April 27-30
• Trump — 54% (+34)
• DeSantis — 20%
• Pence — 7%
• Haley — 5%
• T. Scott — 1%MAY 23-25
• Trump — 49.5% (+25)
• DeSantis — 24.5%
• T. Scott — 6.8%
• Pence — 4.5%
• Haley — 4.2% pic.twitter.com/hvCUY8VQkQ— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) May 28, 2023
You will, of course, note that the poll was done by Trump’s own pollster, McLaughlin and Associates.
But the poll itself really isn’t the point, obviously. Trump quickly turned on Kayleigh for doing nothing more than her job.
It is well-established that Murdoch and Fox News Corp. generally are all-in for DeSantis.
Trump must be on edge enough about DeSantis that he couldn’t help but explode.
The other truly ironic thing is that Trump blasting Kayleigh is news that is nearly impossible to ignore.
Had Trump simply kept his mouth shut, the damage would have been limited to the people actually watching the show.
Now, though, nearly everyone who follows politics on Twitter knows that DeSantis is actually gaining ground on Trump.
Trump’s temper tantrum severely hurt him in two significant ways. He attacked a popular MAGA woman while also advertising that he is slipping, no matter how little.
Typical Trump, unable to control himself, reactive, hateful, petulant, and stupid, doing precisely the wrong thing at the wrong time.
And it’s not out of the question that Kayleigh prefers DeSantis over Trump anyway. Maybe she is thrilled with the response.
She might go out tonight and treat herself to some good skim milk and light avocado toast!
I can be reached at jasonmiciak@gmail.com and on Twitter @JasonMiciak.
Editor’s note: This is an opinion column that solely reflects the opinions of the author.
