In an interview on “Fox and Friends” on Tuesday, President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of being the brain behind recent protests against Trump, and leaks from the White House. In the segment, Trump was asked whether he believed Obama was behind the incidents, including the rowdy town halls that many Republican lawmakers have recently faced.

“I think he is behind it. I also think it’s politics,” Trump answered. He has previously tweeted that “the so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists.” On Tuesday he added that he thinks Obama’s “people are certainly behind it,” and also responsible for leaks from the government that “are really very serious leaks, because they’re very bad in terms of national security.” He didn’t explain how or why Obama would be leaking information from the White House, but people on Twitter had some theories.

Yes, Obama is behind all the leaks, which he saw in visions of the future before leaving, and left on post-it notes for WH staff to find.

— Kris Colvin (@KrisColvin) February 19, 2017

Trump says “Obama’s behind leaks & protests.”
And by “Obama” he means “his people.”
And by “his people” he means “the majority of US voters”

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) February 28, 2017

Others simply wanted an explanation.

Can someone explain how Obama is behind townhall attendance/leaks? If Trump can’t explain he needs to be removed for mental health issues.

— IMPEACH OrangeJulius (@puppymnkey) February 28, 2017

But it seems like Obama has an alibi.

Trump on WH leaks: “I think that President Obama’s behind it because his people are certainly behind it.”

Obama: pic.twitter.com/q25XVeRo9c

— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) February 28, 2017

In the Fox interview, Trump also touched on his budget plan, which proposes a big increase in spending on the military but significant cuts in other areas, like EPA funding. He said it would be financed through a “revved-up economy” that is supposedly forthcoming. Also, he said the U.S. will “do things with other countries” and later ask for reimbursement, like assisting with military services.

Trump has decided not to attend the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, since members of the media just “make stories up.” It would be inappropriate for him to go to the dinner “in light of the fact of fake news,” he said. The “Fox and Friends” hosts even asked the president to give himself a grade based on his performance so far. He gave himself an A for achievement, but only a C for his ability to get his message out to the people.

Trump will address Congress for the first time on Tuesday night, and at least one Democrat has said he will not greet Trump when he enters the House floor. Representative Eliot L. Engel has shaken the president’s hand at every presidential address to Congress for almost 30 years, but said he will not do so this year, citing policy differences.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Today, NRA Executive Director Wayne LaPierre stayed true to the White House’s line that protesters speaking out against the administration are paid. In fact, he claimed that protesters are being paid $1,500 a week. And given that the future of journalism seems to be less-than-rosy right now, I have to ask: where do I sign up?

I mean, $1,500 a week is a lot of money. That’s about $78,000 a year. That’s about on par with what the average accountant, architect, epidemiologist, psychologist, or nuclear technician makes–all professions that I’m fairly certain take quite a bit more schooling than being a protester.

LaPierre, also said that the protesters are specifically and deliberately inciting violence, and compared them to terrorists. He claimed that, “the left’s message is absolutely clear. They want revenge, you’ve got to be punished. They say you’re what’s wrong with America and now you’ve got to be purged.” He went on to say: that the “extreme left” “literally hate everything America stands for” and “are willing to use violence against us.” But Mr. LaPierre, you can’t have it both ways. Are the protesters apathetic, and that’s why they need to be paid? Or do they hate America with such a fiery passion–in which case you would think that most of them would just protest for free?

Also, who is supposedly paying out this $1,500 a week to protesters? We’ll probably never have an exact estimate on how many people attended Women’s marches throughout the U.S. on January 21, but let’s use FiveThirtyEight’s safe and conservative estimate of 3.2 million. And while the peddlers of this “paid protester” myth haven’t been clear on what percentage of the protesters are supposedly paid, let’s say that just one-third–a million individuals–from the Women’s March got their weekly $1,500 takeaway. That right there is $1.5 billion dollars. That’s quite a lot of money apparently secretly floating around.

While that’s a very literal interpretation of LaPierre’s claims, the ridiculousness of a vast “paid protesters” conspiracy to the tune of over a billion dollars isn’t that remarkably far off from what some have claimed since Trump took office. That ridiculousness is always worth being called out–and Mr. LaPierre, I can assure you that no one is paying me $1,500 a week just to say that.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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