Trump’s Chaotic Press Conference Sparks Outrage and Concerns Ahead of Inauguration
(Jeenah Moon for The Washington Post)
President-elect Donald Trump delivered a chaotic and wide-ranging press conference on Monday, making eyebrow-raising statements on military action in Panama and Greenland, renaming the Gulf of Mexico, and calling America a “horrible place.” Trump also attacked political rivals, including President Joe Biden and special counsel Jack Smith, in a performance many labeled as unhinged.
The press conference held just days before Trump’s inauguration, drew swift criticism online. “Dear god, this presser is batch-t even for Trump,” tweeted @Angry_Staffer, a former D.C. insider. “He’s b—-hing about water pressure. He’s talking about electric heaters making people itch. He says he’s going to try to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. He says windmills drive whales crazy.”
Political analyst Rachel Bitecofer reacted to Trump’s proposed renaming of the Gulf of Mexico with exasperation, tweeting, “Someone shoot me.” MSNBC commentator Molly Jong-Fast speculated that Trump’s suggestion might be a deliberate provocation, urging Americans to “stay focused on protecting norms and institutions and not on the ‘Gulf of America.’”
On BlueSky, CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla jokingly suggested, “It’s time to change New Mexico to ‘New America,'” punctuated with a face-palm emoji. Longtime columnist Will Bunch took a darker view, describing the day’s events as symptomatic of broader democratic erosion. “It’s not just that off-the-wall press conference.
Judge Cannon, the Facebook capitulation, the Washington Post implosion, the NC SCOTUS about to overturn an election… The fascist doomers and democratic collapse are OFF THE RAILS today. It’s only Jan. 7,” Bunch wrote. Regarding Trump’s Gulf proposal, he added, “I mean, this is Caligula-naming-his-horse-a-consul level stuff.”
Former New York Times columnist and Nobel laureate Paul Krugman added to the criticism, sarcastically remarking, “And Canadians will have to wear their underwear on the outside. Seriously, this is demented.”
“New Mexico” < “New America” 🤦🏻♂️
— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) January 7, 2025 at 10:54 PM
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Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal lamented the work ahead: “Confession: I’m not prepared for the amount of energy I’m going to have to expend over the next 4 years knocking down absolutely cray economic ramblings.” Independent journalist Aaron Rupar summed up the sentiments of many: “Well, that was f–king crazy. Congrats, America.”
The press conference, intended to outline Trump’s vision for his return to the presidency, instead fueled concerns over the stability and direction of his upcoming administration, underscoring the polarized reactions that continue to define Trump’s leadership style.
This could very well just be a troll
— Molly Jong-Fast (@mollyjongfast.bsky.social) January 7, 2025 at 10:49 PM
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Stay focused on protecting norms and institutions and not on the “gulf of America.”
— Molly Jong-Fast (@mollyjongfast.bsky.social) January 7, 2025 at 10:40 PM
It's not just that off-the-wall press conference Judge Cannon, the Facebook capitulation, the Washington Post implosion, the NC SCOTUS about to overturn an election… The fascist doomerism and democratic collapse is OFF THE RAILS today. It's only Jan. 7
— Will Bunch (@willbunch.bsky.social) January 7, 2025 at 10:52 PM
I mean, this is Caligula-naming-his-horse-a-consul level stuff
— Will Bunch (@willbunch.bsky.social) January 7, 2025 at 10:44 PM
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And Canadians will have to wear their underwear on the outside. Seriously, this is demented.
— Paul Krugman (@pkrugman.bsky.social) January 7, 2025 at 10:37 PM
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Well, that was fucking crazy. Congrats America.
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) January 7, 2025 at 10:40 PM
