The conflict between President Donald Trump and Democratic governors escalated again on Monday when he signed executive orders in the Oval Office and began to tell a story about Governor Wes Moore, information initially questioned by many.
Hours later, the full video was released, showing a conversation completely different from the one Trump described, and this contradiction sparked a wave of outrage online.
As the nation focused on the broadcast, Trump took the opportunity to attack California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
Trump had sharply attacked Moore as soon as the executive order was signed, escalating an already heated verbal war with the Maryland governor after he threatened to send federal troops to Baltimore, as he had done in Washington and Los Angeles.
“Baltimore is a horrible, horrible deathbed. It’s a deathbed. I know Governor Moore said he wanted to walk with me. He meant it in a derogatory way. I said, ‘No, no, I’m the President of the United States. Fix your crime and I’ll walk with you,'” Trump said.
“But it’s a horrible crime, but he was trying to be derogatory. He doesn’t have the qualifications. But he’s trying to be derogatory,” the president continued.
Then he said something that made Moore laugh.
“I met him at the Army-Navy game. And they said ‘Oh there’s Gov. Moore. He’d love to see you.’ He came over to me, hugged me, shook my hand,” Trump said somewhat huffily.
“He said, ‘Sir, you’re the greatest president of my lifetime.’ I said, “That’s really nice that you say that. I’d love you to say it publicly, but I don’t think you can do that, so it’s OK, but no sir, you’re doing a fantastic job. I want to just shake your hand,’” Trump declared that Moore told him last December at the game.