Trump went on a late-night Truth Social posting spree on Friday that pushed depictions of him as a military champion.
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On Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, Trump shared statements from his Cabinet officials and AI-generated images amid criticism about his treatment of the military and the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Some of the material was recycled, including an AI-generated image of Trump holding an American flag on top of a ship with an Iranian flag lying on the deck. “It’s Our Oil Tanker Now!” the header of the post read. One post showed a graph touting that 18 Americans have died in the Iran military conflict compared to death counts in other wars.
Earlier in the day, Trump dismissed complaints from sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where they’ve suffered from a six-month deployment leading to reported suicide attempts and poor conditions.
He also reacted to news that the Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced that the Dallas Fort Worth Airport will scrap an Islamic foot-washing station plan.
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However, most of the posts were long quotes supporting his own pet projects. One post featured a quote from Secretary of State Marco Rubio supporting the need for Trump’s White House ballroom.
“In my work with heads of state and foreign ministers, I am frequently hosted in reception facilities that are visually impressive and reflective of the wealth and beauty of the nations I am visiting,” Rubio’s quote read. “In the United States, by contrast, we currently lack the ability to hold large events of a similar magnitude on White House grounds…The East Wing Project is essential.”
Another from the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine supported the “state-of-the-art facility,” and yet another from his newly confirmed Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said “The Project is critical.”
Trump also attacked the National Trust for Historic Preservation for bringing a lawsuit to stop the project. “These are the TREASONISTS that brought the suit against the Military Complex,” Trump wrote. “They revealed Top Military Secrets,” referring to descriptions in court filings of the ballroom’s bunker, droneport, and blast-proof construction, which were actually revealed by his own Department of Justice.
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