The death toll in Puerto Rico is much higher than we were told

The official total is 64 but the actual total is closer to 5,000.

A new Harvard study estimates that nearly 5,000 people died in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria – a much larger number than the official government death toll of 64. https://t.co/Vkfv6S30vs

— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) May 29, 2018

Trump once favorably compared the death toll in Puerto Rico to Hurricane Katrina. A new study now shows more than twice as many died in Puerto Rico.https://t.co/bVxvICZZQ2 pic.twitter.com/VsxAFNiUie

— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) May 29, 2018

When Trump visited Puerto Rico, he congratulated himself on the low death toll and said they should be "very proud". Then he want on to say Maria wasn't “a real catastrophe like Katrina." Like Trump did yesterday with Memorial day, he tried to use the occasion to prop himself up.

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 29, 2018

The death toll in Puerto Rico is now estimated at 4,654, and Trump's lack of engagement is largely to blame https://t.co/xcsJ17yHVv pic.twitter.com/DNHjHR1z7b

— Bloomberg Opinion (@bopinion) May 29, 2018

Trump’s disrespect for American institutions

This column states: “In the modern era, the U.S. has never had a president who seems to see institutions in purely instrumental terms — as if they should be used to promote the president’s personal goals, and should be evaluated solely in terms of whether they are doing so. “

An old story worth reading

Just a reminder Trump often doesn’t pay his bills.

How did 62 million people vote for this guy?

Sad!

Trump has held very few solo news conferences

New data from @CNN: "Over the last 30 days, the Trump White House has held only 10 on-camera press briefings — and those briefings have averaged just more than 17 minutes each" https://t.co/eEpe155ZOW

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 24, 2018

Solo presidential news conferences (average per year):

HW Bush: 22.2
Clinton: 7.4
W. Bush: 6.1
Obama: 8.0
Trump: 0.7 https://t.co/cfRdkB7peV

— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) May 24, 2018

I can’t remember the last time Trump did a TV interview that wasn’t on Fox News.

Sad!

Trump and the First Amendment

This is a baldfaced admission that Trump attacks the press solely for political gain. There is no better illustration of his disdain for the First Amendment. https://t.co/ftMHwEI3Rq

— ACLU (@ACLU) May 23, 2018

Trump has no business meddling in Amazon postal costs

Trump asked the Post Office to raise shipping prices for Amazon.

This is none of his business. He’s just mad at Amazon because Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post.

"Now, according to four sources close to the White House, Trump is discussing ways to escalate his Twitter attacks on Amazon to further damage the company. "https://t.co/gWusUScTdz

— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) May 19, 2018

If it’s true that Trump strongarmed the Postmaster General to double Amazon’s postal rates in order to punish Jeff Bezos for the Washington Post’s constitutionally protected critiques of DJT’s policies, that would fit snugly into a lengthening list of abuses of presidential power

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 19, 2018

Politfact on Trump’s claim that the Post Office is losing a fortune on Amazon.

Sad!

Trump’s buying spree before the election

Trump went on a cash buying spree.

Trump doesn’t apologize

Two columns with insights on why Trump doesn’t apologize.

Axios:

“I asked a senior administration official about the phenomenon this morning. Here’s how he explained it:

“Not apologizing is a core operating principle for Trump. The basic belief is that you never actually get ‘credit’ — from the Left, the media, political opponents, etc. — for apologizing, so why do it? Even the Access Hollywood response video included a defiant Trump going after the ‘actions’ of Bill Clinton and ‘bullying of victims’ by Hillary, and ended with ‘See you at the debate!'”

CNN:

“Trump is aware of the concept of the apology. He has tweeted about apologies during his time as president and a candidate — he’s demanded them from other people repeatedly. From Cruz to Hillary Clinton.
His frequently injured ego and demands for apologies were noticed by The Atlantic last year and they guessed apologies are like a contest for him. Getting an apology is like winning. Issuing an apology is like losing. Trump does not view himself as a loser.”

China backs a Trump project in Indonesia while Trump supports better terms for Chinese phone maker ZTE

China backs Trump project in Indonesia to tune of $500 million. Trump backs China with fix for ZTE, a company that has cheated on Iran and North Korea sanctions and poses a cyber threat to U.S.

Today’s swamp level: White House now completely submerged. https://t.co/5Scaub3vWO

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 15, 2018

I don’t know how anybody can think this is right.

Trump’s ZTE tweet sows confusion before trade talks with China. He stunned his own top advisers by backing a company they have railed against and accused of rampant misdeeds. He didn't see it as a big deal. https://t.co/ujOX6olLqL

— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) May 15, 2018

After top Trump officials went to Beijing last month, the Chinese government wrote up a list of economic and trade demands, WaPo reports.

On Sunday, Trump caved to one of those demands (ZTE) before the next round of negotiations even starts. https://t.co/L8Z6PdNNBo

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 15, 2018

This is a violation of the Emoluments clause.

White House can't explain how Chinese financing of Trump-linked project doesn't violate Constitution https://t.co/ezEsfiwGII pic.twitter.com/9Ch0QhkLN2

— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) May 14, 2018

Sad!

Who’s a traitor

Trump called people who worked for him that leaked “traitors”:

The so-called leaks coming out of the White House are a massive over exaggeration put out by the Fake News Media in order to make us look as bad as possible. With that being said, leakers are traitors and cowards, and we will find out who they are!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2018

My idea of a traitor is someone who gives classified information to representatives of an enemy country like Trump did.

Sad!