Donald Trump Refers To Democrat Joe Manchin As ‘Munchkin,’ Says Senator ‘Couldn’t Understand The Transcripts’
Recently acquitted in his impeachment trial, President Donald Trump is on the warpath against those he felt didn’t have his back. His latest target is Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democratic from the state of West Virginia. On Sunday morning, Trump tweeted about Manchin and gave him a derogatory nickname in the process.
“They are really mad at Senator Joe Munchkin in West Virginia. He couldn’t understand the Transcripts. Romney could, but didn’t want to!”
The post calling Manchin small is a part of the usual tactics the president uses to taunt his political enemies. In this case, literally belittling them. While he’s used a number of derogatory attacks over the years, including calling Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, “Sleepy Joe,” size is something he goes back to over and over.
Trump enjoys referring to congressman Adam Schiff as “Liddle” and has also taken aim at the perceived height of presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. This particular attack clearly has to do with Manchin’s vote in the impeachment proceedings. Because West Virginia is a majority Republican state, there were some who thought the Democratic senator might side with those pushing acquittal.
In the end, Manchin said the evidence was too much to ignore.
The Sunday tweet was one of several over the last few days where President Trump has taken aim at the U.S. senator. On Saturday night he posted an attack that appeared to be far more angry than taunting.
“Can’t say I mind the fact that the great people of West Virginia are furious at their puppet Democrat Senator, Joe Manchin. They will never forget his phony vote on the Impeachment Hoax.”
He later called the Democrat “weak,” while claiming he got a bill through that Manchin couldn’t. On Friday night, the president announced he was surprised the senator had voted on the impeachment the way he did.
I’ve read the transcripts thoroughly & listened to the witnesses under oath. Where I come from a person accused defends themselves with witnesses and evidence.
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) February 9, 2020
For his part, Joe Manchin has been trying to punch back at Donald Trump. Rather than attacking, he’s been defending his record on Twitter and claiming it was he who got a pension bill through and not the president.
He later added that he read the transcripts thoroughly and listened to the witnesses. He also alluded to his belief that witnesses and more evidence should have been allowed in the Senate trial.
While Joe Manchin is the latest target of President Donald Trump since his acquittal, he’s hardly the only one. Two impeachment trial witnesses were escorted off the White House grounds earlier this week and Ambassador Gordon Sondland was called home from his posting at the EU.
