The Trump administration woke up this morning knowing many eyes and ears would be focused on Michael Wolff’s scathing new book “Fire and Fury.”  In the past several days regardless of how they have attempted to dismiss it as full of crap, fake news or otherwise unreliable, their strategy has backfired as even with the bitter cold in the east coast, the public is snatching up the book in record numbers.

 

Many supporters of Donald Trump and his administration cry foul that the media refuses to focus on all of the great things they are accomplishing.  The problem with that narrative is perhaps more focus would be given on accomplishments and positive news if Trump and his administration didn’t have so many self-inflicted issues which become newsworthy, thus journalist and reporters have an ethical obligation to report that, as well of other issues of the presidency!

 

The book Fire and Fury is just one example that is blocking great news such as the soaring stock market.  The other may be the January jobs report which was released this morning by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).   Unfortunately, the 148,000 jobs reported in December fell 42,000 short of projections.  While the news is not alarming or worthy of concern, it does present an awkward sign for a person such as Trump who likes to boast of his success

 

The reduction in numbers have been attributed to the decline of jobs in the retail sector.

 

“A little bit of a disappointment when you only get 2,000 jobs out of the government and get retail at the absolute busiest time of the year losing 20,000 jobs. It just goes to show the true struggle that traditional brick and mortar is having now,” said JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade.

 

Just today while discussing President Trump, nationally acclaimed journalist David Gregory reported on CNN, “He is his own worst enemy.”

One more critical point and indicative of Donald Trump’s communication style is this afternoon on his way to Camp David but taking time to have an impromptu chat with the media belted out, “the jobs report released this morning is good.”  A perflexing comment when you compare January 2016 data while President Obama was in office as the numbers were 151,000 but better than the 148,000!

“Never apologize, never back down, never admit you were wrong, use every means possible toward achieving your ends,” Donald Trump as private citizen

Read the full BLS report HERE