Donald Trump was accused of sounding like a 'moron-in-chief' by angry Fox News viewers on Tuesday after he used a televised appearance at the White House in Washington to defend hisunpopular Iran warpolicy, then snapped that he did not have time to explain it to the public.
The 79-year-old president made the comments on 19 May while walking reporters through a new ballroom construction site inside the residence, an event the conservative network carried live.
The broadcast began as a fairly routine tour. Fox News broke into regular programming to show Donald Trump highlighting extra security measures and design features of the White House ballroom project.
"Fox News viewers call Donald Trump a 'delusional idiot' as he boasts about Iran war" - Irish Star Online#SmartNewshttps://t.co/DwiJkZrPxQ
But part-way through the appearance, the president abruptly shifted from chandeliers and reinforced walls to the far less glossy subject of theUS campaign against Iran, insisting that his administration's actions were necessary to prevent Tehran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
'Don't really have time to explain to people!' he said, in a line that instantly lit up social media and would later be repeated back at him by critics. The irritable aside landed particularly badly with conservatives already uneasy about the cost and direction of the war.
Before that flash of irritation, Donald Trump had tried to cast himself as a leader acting against political self‑interest. 'I'm not doing this politically! Everyone tells me it's unpopular! But I think it's very popular,' he told the press pack, arguing that voters would rally behind the campaign once they fully understood the threat.
He then sketched a dramatic picture of what he said was at stake, warning that Iranian nuclear weapons could destroy major US cities.
'When they hear that it has to do with nuclear weapons that could take out Los Angeles, that can take out major cities, when they hear that,' he said, pausing before adding, 'I'll tell you what! When we explain it to people, don't really have enough time to explain to people. I'm too busy getting it done!'
President Trump says he thinks the Iran War is "very popular" despite "everyone" telling him "it's unpopular."Trump says he "had to" start the war so Iran wouldn't get "nuclear weapons that could take out Los Angeles."pic.twitter.com/AiKPFis1VY
Source: International Business Times UK
