Heated discussions have erupted online after a number of insiders familiar with the contents of US President Donald Trump's phone conversations with foreign heads of state offered rather unflattering accounts of how POTUS allegedly conducted himself during those calls, according to a CNN report penned by legendary journalist Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame.
According to the report, two sources said the calls led Trump's former "top deputies", such as national security adviser John Bolton and Defense Secretary James Mattis, to "conclude that the President was often 'delusional'... in his dealings with foreign leaders".
One unnamed "high-level administration official” allegedly said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "just outplays" Trump, with one source even describing some conversations between the two world leaders as sounding like "two guys in a steam bath".
This imagery apparently left an impression on some social media users.
— Minder (@usefulpurpose) June 30, 2020
— Cindy 🌺 (@cynnebelle) June 30, 2020
Locker room talk?
— Truth & Integrity matter🌊 (@joysesq) June 30, 2020
The report also mentioned that "one person familiar with almost all the conversations with the leaders of Russia, Turkey, Canada, Australia and western Europe described the calls cumulatively as 'abominations' so grievous to US national security interests that if members of Congress heard from witnesses to the actual conversations or read the texts and contemporaneous notes, even many senior Republican members would no longer be able to retain confidence in the President".
These revelations have quickly attracted the attention of Trump's critics online, bashing the US president and mocking his performance.
Good grief. You know who else could outwit Donny? pic.twitter.com/DeZUNq8S6b
— ChicaLoca (@HaschVivian) June 30, 2020
🔥 Jaw dropping and deeply disturbing. It’s much worse than we imagined! Where are you @SenateGOP @HouseGOP ?? Protect our democracy while you still can!
— 𝕀𝕟𝕘𝕣𝕚𝕕 ⚖️ (@Lorelei_CA) June 29, 2020
He attacks people publicly on Twitter all the time. Did anyone think he wasn't screaming at our allies on the phone?
— D Villella ❄️ (@dvillella) June 29, 2020
Long after the president is gone, the damage he’s done to the institution of the Presidency will remain. Truly a sad moment in US history.
— thomas (@thomas_is_a) June 29, 2020
Some, however, argued that the claims in the article were made by anonymous sources, and described it as a "hit piece" and "fake news".
This is a typical #FakeNews with "anonymous sources" piling on hit piece.
— POTUS 45 (@MichaelFSantoro) June 30, 2020
In 2016, it was single file #FakeNews. Let's try this then let's try that.
Now it's throw everything at once at @realDonaldTrump to defeat him.
https://t.co/fsCrlVyzPZ
