Journalist/Prof. Admits Fabricating Trump 'Quote' That Gave KJU Huge Propaganda Win
When it comes to “fake news,” it doesn’t get more blatant than this.
On Sunday, New York University professor and Time magazine editor-at-large Ian Bremmer posted an alleged quote from President Donald Trump to his own verified Twitter account. Although Bremmer has since deleted the tweet, it was saved by numerous sources.
“President Trump in Tokyo: ‘Kim Jong Un is smarter and would make a better President than Sleepy Joe Biden,'” the journalist wrote.
The supposed statement from Trump during his diplomatic visit to Japan was placed in quotes, and posted as fact.
There was just one problem: It was completely made up.
UPDATE: @ianbremmer has now admitted that he fabricated this viral Trump quote. And yet it is being shared by journalists and congressmen as if it is real. pic.twitter.com/QgNd9DnN8g
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) May 26, 2019
Other users quickly questioned the quotation, which was over-the-top even by Trump standards.
The Time magazine editor’s response to being called out over the quote should be a giant red flag to everyone who values truth, regardless of their politics.
“This can not be a real quote,” Twitter user Beth Bryson responded. Read Bremmer’s response and think about it carefully.
“It’s plausible,” the journalist who posted the “quote” replied.
When other users pointed out that the quote was being repeated as fact and that he ought to clarify, Bremmer doubled down on absurdity.
“Because it’s a comment on the state of media and the twitterverse today,” he gave as his weak defense for leaving the quote up.
But Trump himself wasn’t going to let that slide. Early Monday morning, he called out Bremmer for fabricating the quote, forcing the “journalist” to admit that it was a load of malarkey.
“[Ian Bremmer] now admits that he MADE UP ‘a completely ludicrous quote,’ attributing it to me,” the president posted. “This is what’s going on in the age of Fake News. People think they can say anything and get away with it. Really, the libel laws should be changed to hold Fake News Media accountable!”
.@ianbremmer now admits that he MADE UP “a completely ludicrous quote,” attributing it to me. This is what’s going on in the age of Fake News. People think they can say anything and get away with it. Really, the libel laws should be changed to hold Fake News Media accountable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2019
Bremmer himself admitted on Monday that his post was made “in jest,” despite the fact that it was posted without any indication of being falsified.
“My tweet yesterday about Trump preferring Kim Jong Un to Biden as President was meant in jest,” he posted. “The President correctly quoted me as saying it was a ‘completely ludicrous’ statement. I should have been clearer. My apologies.”
My tweet yesterday about Trump preferring Kim Jong Un to Biden as President was meant in jest. The President correctly quoted me as saying it was a “completely ludicrous” statement. I should have been clearer. My apologies.
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) May 27, 2019
Here’s the major issue: Bremmer isn’t a comedian, a satirist, or even a random person on Twitter. He’s an influential journalist at one of the most well-known news magazines in the world, and a journalism professor at the same time.
His cavalier response of “it’s plausible” after being called out on a totally fake quote is alarming, and essentially proves Trump’s long-running point about rampant bias in the media.
This is how much of the left truly thinks: If a claim is plausible, if it sounds like it could be true, then it can be repeated as fact.
It’s a strategy of pushing narratives that match the liberal worldview, regardless of reality. Bremmer and others like him would create an army of straw men if they could.
Ironically, this is exactly why Trump won the 2016 election. Instead of actually listening to millions of frustrated Americans, the left led by Hillary Clinton smugly believed a false narrative about America that existed only in their minds.
Trump didn’t have a chance, they decided, and the only people who supported him were “deplorable” knuckle-draggers who probably kept pointed white hoods in their closets.
“It’s plausible,” they told themselves. It just wasn’t true.
When you put out a fake Trump quote without any indication you were making it up, and then blame the readers for not realizing you were making the quote up.
Nice work, @ianbremmer. You’re only helping the cause of people like Trump who want to label everything “fake news.” pic.twitter.com/BYYKmNmDNU
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) May 26, 2019
“Nice work, [Ian Bremmer],” Forbes Magazine journalist Josh Jordan chided after reading the now-debunked quote. “You’re only helping the cause of people like Trump who want to label everything ‘fake news.'”
Precisely. Yet another liberal from the establishment media has now turned himself into an untrustworthy clown, all because progressives simply cannot stand who holds the presidency.
Trump Derangement Syndrome strikes again.
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