A fake news story from the Wall Street Journal is still big news, a day after it was debunked. This is why people hate the media.
CNN keeps the videos up. The dishonest Wall Street Journal reporter won’t stop lying. Buttigieg is lying his butt off. The Hill is reporting dishonestly. There is no end.
Whenever the President travels overseas, the media ignores the success of the trip and finds something, whether it be fake or exaggerated, to destroy any positive reporting. The President’s trip to Japan was highly successful and he was greeted by throngs of admirers.
Then the fake story hit the airwaves.
FAKE NEWS REPORTER BALHOUS
A Wall Street never Trump reporter, Rebecca Balhous, known for her false reporting in the past, claimed the White House ordered the USS John McCain “out of sight” during his visit to Japan.
“A tarp was hung over the ship’s name ahead of the president’s trip, according to photos reviewed by the Journal, and sailors were directed to remove any coverings from the ship that bore its name,” Ballhaus wrote in her report. “After the tarp was taken down, a barge was moved closer to the ship, obscuring its name. Navy officials acknowledge the barge was moved but said it was not moved to obscure the name of the ship.”
That allegedly prompted the Navy to hang a tarp over the ship’s name.
NEW: The White House wanted the USS John McCain “out of sight” for Trump’s visit to Japan. A tarp was hung over the ship’s name ahead of the trip, and sailors—who wear caps bearing the ship’s name—were given the day off for Trump’s visit. w/@gluboldhttps://t.co/6ugPceCOre pic.twitter.com/KuIoWJK5Kt
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) May 29, 2019
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THE NAVY DEBUNKS
A couple of hours later, the Navy Chief of Information tweeted: “The name of USS John S. McCain was not obscured during the POTUS visit to Yokosuka on Memorial Day. The Navy is proud of that ship, its crew, its namesake and its heritage.”
The tarp was removed before the President arrived and all ships were in normal configuration.
What looks like fake documents “proving” the White House wanted the ship out of sight are traveling around the Internet. They look like sloppy unprofessional fakes, but no matter what the case, there is zero evidence the President ordered it.
The name of USS John S. McCain was not obscured during the POTUS visit to Yokosuka on Memorial Day. The Navy is proud of that ship, its crew, its namesake and its heritage.
— Navy Chief of Information (@chinfo) May 30, 2019
THE AP DEBUNKS AND EXPLAINS THE TARP ISSUE
So, why was the tarp there at all, you ask. NBC News reported:
Joe Buccino, a spokesman for Shanahan, told NBC News that Shanahan wasn’t aware of the directive, “nor was he aware of the concern precipitating the directive.”
The AP reported: Asked if the tarp was meant to block Trump’s view of the ship, the officials said the tarp had been placed on the ship for maintenance and removed for the visit.
Others reported but we haven’t confirmed this yet:
The tarpaulin was use as part of hull preservation work on the McCain, which suffered significant damage in a collision in August 2017, Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for U.S. Pacific Fleet, told NBC News. It was removed on Saturday, two days before Trump delivere a Memorial Day address at U.S. Naval Base Yokosuka, where the McCain was stationed, Christensen said.
THE PART ABOUT THE SAILORS WAS A LIE
The Wall Street Journal also reported that sailors on the USS John S. McCain, who usually wear hats with the ship’s name on it, were given the day off when Trump visited.. That wasn’t true either, according to the AP.
Two U.S. officials told the AP that sailors on the USS John S. McCain were not told to stay away but that many were away for the long weekend. The officials also said that about 800 sailors from more than 20 ships and Navy commands were on the USS Wasp during the president’s visit, and all wore the same Navy hat that has no logo, rather than wearing individual ship or command hats.
THE PRESIDENT DENIED IT
The President denied it. It’s unlikely he would ever do anything that petty to disrespect any in the military he loves. It’s illogical.
I was not informed about anything having to do with the Navy Ship USS John S. McCain during my recent visit to Japan. Nevertheless, @FLOTUS and I loved being with our great Military Men and Women – what a spectacular job they do!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2019
