Trump's response to New Orleans terror attack was a predictable, self-serving lie | Opinion
In a tragic moment that demanded calm, empathy and honesty, Trump gave Americans a refresher course in his chaotic and self-absorbed style of 'leadership.'
As Americans spent New Year’s Day reckoning with the terrorist attack that killed at least 14 people in New Orleans, we were reminded how unnerving it will be to have a raging narcissist like Donald Trump as president again.
Before authorities even identified a suspect in the attack, the president-elect took to social media and falsely claimed the deaths came at the hands of an illegal immigrant. Trump ranted, incorrectly, that he – because it’s always about him and him alone – was vindicated, and that his warnings about “the criminals coming in” were right all along.
He wrote: “When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department.”
In wake of New Orleans terrorist attack, Trump lies, puts himself first
Even in the post itself, Trump put himself and his ego first before mentioning the victims. In a tragic moment that demanded calm, empathy and honesty, Trump gave Americans a refresher course in his chaotic and self-absorbed style of “leadership.”
Predictably, the facts behind Wednesday morning’s attack on Bourbon Street didn’t align with Trump’s preferred narrative. The suspect in the attack – killed in an exchange of gunfire with police – was identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas and an Army veteran.
He wasn’t one of “the criminals coming in,” as Trump so uselessly put it. Nothing “turned out to be true,” despite the soon-to-be president’s claim. And, for the millionth time, the crime rate in this country is nowhere near “a level that nobody has ever seen before.”
As The New York Times reported on the same day Trump spat out that specious social-media post: “Murders and crime in general declined across the country throughout 2024.”
New Orleans attack response reminds us of the chaos Trump brings
We will learn plenty about Jabbar in the days to come. The FBI said he had an ISIS flag and was wearing military gear when he drove a truck into a crowd of New Year’s Eve revelers in New Orleans’ French Quarter. At least 14 people were killed and 30 injured.
No president or president-to-be should belch idle speculation in the wake of such an attack. The public and the victims' families should see an American leader expressing sympathy, sharing facts as they’re known and clearly stating a commitment to our safety and security.
But Trump went straight to effectively saying: “I WAS RIGHT, LOSERS!” Despite not being right. Despite him not being the person who mattered in that moment – at all.
Trump's response shows America will not have a steady hand in charge
Vanity. Lies. Disinformation. That’s all we ever get from Trump. It’s what we got on the campaign trail. It’s what we get now, during his time as president-elect, even though there’s no reason for him to still pander to his fiercely anti-immigrant base.
And it’s undoubtedly what we’ll get once he’s inaugurated.
There will be no steady hand when we need it. Tragedies will be met with self-serving gut reactions, likely provoked by false claims from some nutter in his orbit.
In the immediate wake of the New Orleans tragedy, President-elect Trump failed a first test of leadership. Because of course he did.
What do you expect from a guy who would claim any test he failed was rigged?
Follow Paste BN columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk