October 23, 2023

Trump decries "a red haired weirdo."

Here's the NYT story: "A President, a Billionaire and Questions About Access and National Security/Anthony Pratt, one of Australia’s wealthiest men, made his way into Donald Trump’s inner circle with money and flattery. What he heard there has become of interest to federal prosecutors."
In his interviews with prosecutors [in the classified documents case), Mr. Pratt recounted how Mr. Trump once revealed to him sensitive information about American nuclear submarines, an episode that Mr. Trump denies....
Here's Trump's response on Truth Social:
The Failing New York Times story, leaked by Deranged Jack Smith and the Biden “Political Opponent Abuser” DOJ, about a red haired weirdo from Australia, named Anthony Pratt, is Fake News. I never spoke to him about Submarines, but I did speak to him about creating jobs in Ohio and Pennsylvania, because that’s what I’m all about.... Maggie Hagerman and the Misfits never called me for a comment. Why would they, they just write anything they want. Whether it’s correct or not is of ZERO importance to them. “All the News That’s Unfit To Print.” That’s why we call it the Fake News!

Should Trump be calling a man "a red haired weirdo"?


Trump seems to be contemplating whether what he sees in Pratt is what other people see in Trump — red haired weirdness.

77 comments:

tim maguire said...

One has reddish hair and looks like a weirdo. The other has hair nearly the same hue and does not.

Mark said...

Trump wants us to believe that after being unable to shut up in court last week that he didn't say anything to someone he was schmoozing.

Stable genius needs to demonstrate self control for us to believe he controlled himself.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Red man bad.

R C Belaire said...

I suppose they are weird in their own unique way. Don't know anything about the Aussie, but we all know Trump has his moments.

MadTownGuy said...

Trump is the Orange Meanie to them. But the photo does make Pratt look like a weirdo.

Amadeus 48 said...

Pratt (Pratt by name, prat by nature?) is wearing a suit that is a clown color, so it is OK to call him a weirdo.

wendybar said...

Why not?? Trump handles the jokes made about his hair and has for years. This guys hair is WAY worse.

Howard said...

"Should Trump be calling a man "a red haired weirdo"?"

Yes. It's his only play. If nothing else, he never breaks character.

chickelit said...

Red and orange are both on the spectrum but they are distinct colors to the human eye.

Enigma said...

Who are those adorable twins? Did they get matching Halloween costumes? I've got some Sugar Babies ready for them.

rehajm said...

Should Trump be calling a man "a red haired weirdo"?

The primary problem isn't to determine what Trump should or shouldn't, the problem is the supposed authority those who ask the question grant themselves...

...the secondary problem is the asymmetry of the judgement. The left can say and do what it wants when and where it wants while it seems Trump requires permission from them to exist and they aren't that keen on granting permission...

Fandor said...

Depends. Is the person he’s speaking about weird? Does he have red hair? Does it distinguish him from the multitude of weirdos Trump encounters on a daily basis? If the answer is yes, then I’d say it’s one way to identify a particular weirdo who wanted to attract Trump’s attention.The rich, famous and powerful are magnets for all sort of people, be they normal folks or weird. When I think of all the things he might have called this unusual looking fellow I think Trump was being very moderate in his description.

Kevin said...

Why would he wear that color suit with red hair?

rehajm said...

I'm also learning this morning hate speech on campus has returned to being a right of students free expression and an important element of campus life. It has returned after a summer of declarations that conservative speakers on campus are a form of hate speech that must be prohibited while those doing the prohibiting are free to stop it...

Dave Begley said...

This is stupid. But the Left eats it up.

rehajm said...

...as for the Australian, ...his name is Cheeto!

iowan2 said...

Pratt's claims have been challenged as false by those involved. Australians past Prime Ministers.


Pratt, the report alleged, went on to share the information with at least 45 people, including his own employees, journalists, foreign and Australian officials “and three former Australian prime ministers”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/12/former-pms-pour-cold-water-on-claims-anthony-pratt-told-them-trumps-us-submarine-secrets

I have been lectured to by the left, this is NOT A CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS CASE!

So? Is it or not. Every time a distraction is needed Jack Smith leaks some more information that is impossible to verify.
The two nuggets supposedly amount to the Number of nuclear war heads carried on the Subs, and how close a sub could get to the enemy without being detected.
I am sure this would have been classified. I am also positive it has zero value to anyone

Regardless, there is nothing stopping the President from sharing info he declassified before leaving office.
But Dems know their voters are low information voters, and the lie is more than enough to dirty up Trump to those no nothing voters.

Ann Althouse said...

"Why would he wear that color suit with red hair?"

If only he'd combed his hair more weirdly, I'd say he intended to be wearing a Donald Trump costume.

Bob Boyd said...

red haired weirdness

Trump wears it better. Pratt looks like the fabled step-child.

GatorNavy said...

Seeing as how Trump has always been an outer boroughs guy, for him, calling someone a red haired weirdo when they look like an eye-bulging muppet with red hair is restraint personified.

iowan2 said...

Trump wants us to believe that after being unable to shut up in court last week that he didn't say anything to someone he was schmoozing.

There goes Trump again, tweeking the "norms" by campaigning for the office of President. What fringe radical thing to do.







gilbar said...

red haired weirdo

seems redundant

Rocco said...

In that photo, Pratt reminds me of the Heat Miser from The Year Without a Santa Claus.

https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Heat_Miser

Wilbur said...

Ha. He looks like Carry Nation with a Stan Laurel haircut.

I note this post brings out our Leftist commenting friends en masse, yet they pull the blanket over their heads on most other posts.

Gusty Winds said...

There is no comparison between these two red headed men. If you think Trump is the guy on the right, you're suffering from TDS and probably a bunch of other conditions.

The easiest, cliche way to grab some momentary fame is to attack Trump. It's all bullshit.

The temp fame from attacking Trump only lasts a moment. Look at the ashes that are left of Mike Pence's campaign.

Howard said...

Dave Begely: "This is stupid. But the Left eats it up."

Exactly. Ironically, this stimulates fundraising by both Trump and the Democrats.

Patrick Henry was right! said...

You buried the lead. The ONLY relevant information in that piece is the President Trump was not asked for comment before it was printed. You know, journalism.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

“they just write anything they want”

Only Trump has the right to do that, because he’s the “leading” candidate for President.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I’d rather hear Trump comment on contemporary issues including his strong, and widely derided, warning that Biden would push the USA toward WW3 and fail to have Israel’s back. I’m tired of Jack Smith’s illegitimate and dishonest leaks dominating the DNC-Media.

rhhardin said...

Trump never struck me as weird. It's just a Don Rickles sense of humor and a businessman's sense of what works.

It was a mistake to contest the election, when the rule is that if you lose by fraud, you lost. Finality is more important that accuracy.

Rusty said...

Wilbur said...
"Ha. He looks like Carry Nation with a Stan Laurel haircut.

I note this post brings out our Leftist commenting friends en masse, yet they pull the blanket over their heads on most other posts."

Because it's never about the substance. It's always about the man.

Ann Althouse said...

"You buried the lead. The ONLY relevant information in that piece is the President Trump was not asked for comment before it was printed. You know, journalism."

You failed to do adequate research. The link on "once revealed to him sensitive information" goes to the first article, from 10/5, "Trump Said to Have Revealed Nuclear Submarine Secrets to Australian Businessman."

It says: "A spokesman for Mr. Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Mr. Smith declined to comment. Representatives for Mr. Pratt did not immediately respond to requests for comment."

Did you get a talking point somewhere or what?

Ann Althouse said...

"Red and orange are both on the spectrum but they are distinct colors to the human eye."

When referring to hair, it's basically the same color, or why would "red haired" people get called "carrot top"? Is a carrot red?

Rocco said...

Left Bank of the Charles said...
Red man bad.

It’s sad to see such rank anti-Native American bigotry.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

If you flatter Trump - you're in.
He let all sorts of spies and back-stabber in this way.


Breezy said...

Trump may be a weirdo in some respects, but he’s our weirdo.

jim said...

Poor Mr Trump seems to be a magnet for the deranged and the wierd. But, luckily, he has witty nicknames for all of them.

Aggie said...

Oh look, here comes Trump's next case in a long line of cases. Just routine production, folks. We want you to see previews of our coming attractions, the highlights of upcoming programming.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Trump often surrounds himself with spies, hacks, and back-stabbers - because all they need to do to get in - is the Trump ego-stoke.

Quaestor said...

Trump has had to deal with weirdos of all sorts. Maybe "red-haired" is his way of specifying a particular weirdo.

Rich said...

Are people seriously thinking of giving Trump access to classified information again?

rcocean said...

Its all such BS and lies. Trump can say anything to anybody. Verbal discussions of classifed matters can be done by the POTUS and ex-POTUS. WHat Trump can't do is give someone classified documents. Or copies of classifed documents.

And what's up with Trump, anyway? Why is always being friendly to assholes who stab him in the back? Has he finally wised-up about the NYT's? Does he finally understand the MSM is NEVER his friend? It appears so.

Of course, everyone who lies about Trump and makes shit up knows they will rewarded and praised by the media. If you're selfish shit, it must be a great temptation to lie.

Ampersand said...

I remember Trump from 40 years ago. He didn't have red hair. When did that happen?

Fred Drinkwater said...

I see that formulation: "did not (immediately) respond to a request for comment" all the time.

I usually believe it is CYA from the author, since it is never stated how much time was allowed, nor how much time might be reasonable in the specific case.

It is the rare exception, when a response is included in the reporting. One might naively think that journalists would favor completeness of information, over unnecessary immediacy of reporting. But that would be...naive.

Michael K said...

It was a mistake to contest the election, when the rule is that if you lose by fraud, you lost. Finality is more important that accuracy.

You might mention that to Hillary but I agree. We all know that the election was not honest but they did a great job of it. They are so confident about the skill in hiding the steal they bragged about it in Time Magazine.

Wilbur said...

Ampersand said...
I remember Trump from 40 years ago. He didn't have red hair. When did that happen?
-----------------------------------------------------------

I always regarded Trump as having blond hair. But then, only his hairdresser knows for sure.

I also thought the Orange Man sobriquet came from his skin color.

n.n said...

The NYT is infamous for publishing handmade tales.

The "red-haired weirdo" is a judgment and label employed with liberal license under the religious authority of diversity [dogma] (i.e. color judgement).

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

"A spokesman for Mr. Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment."

Ah the new-fangled time-out clause which excuses journalistic malpractice. Has there been a response since 10/5 that subsequent articles fail to include? We'll never know. This "no immediate response" caveat was not routinely a part of the traditional journalism I learned. But of course we didn't have digital deadlines that preclude one from waiting for a response either, as things only went to press once, maybe twice, per day. The WaPo is now infamous for giving any right-leaning subject approximately 15 minutes to respond to articles before the "no response before press time" window closes. Woe to the poor subject who is driving or otherwise engaged for those crucial minutes! Too late. So Sad.

Kind of reminds me of the courts who refuse to respond to election issues filed before election month starts or in the middle of it and then once it's too late they dismiss the case as irrelevant.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

"Red and orange are both on the spectrum but they are distinct colors to the human eye."

When referring to hair, it's basically the same color, or why would "red haired" people get called "carrot top"? Is a carrot red?


In fact up to about 150 years ago Orange was not a color and anything in the reddish spectrum was called red. We live in a wonderful age with a multitude of shades and tones our ancestors did not have access to. I do find it curious that even the color purple goes back to Biblical times as a symbol of royalty.

William50 said...

Other than a difference in skin pigmentation, I think I see a slight resemblance here. Maybe it’s just me.

Brian said...

Hmm I don't remember the charge for "leaking" secrets to a Australian. I thought this was a documents case? If this evidence is so strong why didn't they charge him with dissemination of classified information?

FullMoon said...

It says: "A spokesman for Mr. Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Mr. Smith declined to comment. Representatives for Mr. Pratt did not immediately respond to requests for comment."

Immediately means they left a message at 2 a.m. and posted the story five minutes later.
While Smiths rep was actually contacted but declines to reply.

FullMoon said...

"The U.S. Navy has 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, eight of which operate out of Bangor, Washington, and six of which operate out of Kings Bay, Georgia. Each submarine can carry up to 20 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles. Each Trident missile can carry up to eight nuclear warheads, but usually carry four to five for an average of 90 warheads per submarine. The warheads are either the 90-kiloton W76-1 or the 455-kiloton W88. A small number of W76-2 low-yield warheads have also been deployed on some Ohio-class submarines."

James Graham said...

As someone with close family members who are natural redheads, I see Mr Pratt as the victim of a bad dye job who deserves pity.

James Graham said...

As someone with non-weird close family members possessing natural red hair, I found Trump's remark on Pratt stupidly inaccurate.

An obvious victim of a grotesque dye job, Mr Pratt is to be pitied, not ridiculed.

Joe Smith said...

Have Willie Nelson or step children commented yet?

jim5301 said...

I really don't understand what the big deal. I mean it's not like he disclosed nuclear submarine secrets to the guy.

Robert Cook said...

Trump's ignorant insult is predicated on the kooky idea purported and believed only by morons of the first (lowest) order that there is something wrong with having red hair or being a weirdo.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

A spokesman for Mr. Smith declined to comment.

Yet somehow his POV is represented fully in the false story about Trump giving away secrets.

lonejustice said...

Trump is good at coordinating his skin color with his hair color.

hombre said...

QuidProJoe may be, next to the Clintons, the biggest grifter in history, but it's all about Trump.

It's sickening and who cares what Trump calls this guy. Trump may be a jerk, but how many of us have the strength of character (yes, character) and the determination to withstand the shitstorm the corrupt media and Democrats have unleashed on him.

I predict that when he succumbs January 6th will look like a PTA meeting. If not, the country won't be worth living in. (Oh shit! Am I on the list now?)

Jupiter said...

Wait. Trump says that the NYT lies?

Sheridan said...

To prove if Mr. Pratt is a weirdo, we need to see a full-body picture of the gentleman. If he's wearing shorts (as I suspect since it gets really hot in Australia) then he is undoubtedly a weirdo. BTW does Trump wear shorts?

Rich said...

Trump’s narcissism is so boring and exhausting. It’ll be a great day when this guy is not someone we have to hear about anymore.

Rusty said...

Robert Cook said...
Trump's ignorant insult is predicated on the kooky idea purported and believed only by morons of the first (lowest) order that there is something wrong with having red hair or being a weirdo."
Only in your case, Bob.

Oligonicella said...

Should a black man call another black man.....

rcocean said...

"Did not immediately respond to a request for comment."

Means the journalist contacted the victim of the hit piece, told him vaugely what it was to be about, and then gave the victim 5 minutes to call him back.

Notice the word - IMMEDIATELY. The phrase deceptively implies the reporter is trying to be "Objective" but of course is not.

But why even play this game? EVERYTHING on Trump out of the MSM is designed to do one thing: Damage Trump. Notice AGAIN - this is another story about someone saying Trump said or did something with ZERO proof. And treated as FACT. And as IMPORTANT.

There is no "Objective news" from the MSM on Trump. They are part of the Gang that has been trying to destroy him since November 2016.

Rabel said...

Following up on this Trump related post from a few days ago -

"You cannot forget that the same people that attacked Israel are right now pouring at levels that nobody can believe into our beautiful U.S.A. through our totally open border."

In which the commingling of the Hamas issue with the border issue was determined to be unappealing, we have this today -

"CBP memo sounds alarm on Hamas, Hezbollah fighters potentially using southern border to enter US"

He's a regular Nostradamus, ain't he.

Birdwatcher said...

Ann, no, former President Trump should not have said that. It's what a child would say to bully a red-haired child. And I remember that you had beautiful red hair when you were young.

Ann Althouse said...

Once your hair turns white, it’s hard to get it back to your natural color or even any natural color. You can either just let it be white or you can add some dye that will probably look a little unnatural. Somehow a lot of people end up choosing something in the red or orange range. I had natural red hair when I was young, but I don’t try to make it red now that it’s white because it would look weird. I don’t let it just be white though. I think that for a woman a very light blonde is a good choice.

Susan in Seattle said...

This makes me think of a friend's orange tabby cat whose name was 'Bluey.' She had spent time in Australia where redheads are called 'blueys.'

boatbuilder said...

As a former redhead (now a whitehead), I will say that that is one weird-looking redhead.

spinningdarbycrash said...

Pratt has way more money than Trump. So I believe Pratt.

spinningdarbycrash said...

Pratt has way more money than Trump. So I believe Pratt.

Khishmir Tougas

Rusty said...

One is Donald Trump and the other is something you win at a carnival.

Oligonicella said...

Mike (MJB Wolf):
In fact up to about 150 years ago Orange was not a color and anything in the reddish spectrum was called red.

There's a lot of myths floating around about colors. Blue has a strong following for one.

OED:
The word entered Late Middle English in the 14th century via Old French orenge (in the phrase pomme d'orenge). ... The color was named after the fruit, and the first recorded use of orange as a color name in English was in 1512.

Keep in mind 'recorded use' is a subset of linguistic use.

The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) has oranges on the window sill so orange as a color was definitely known by then, just not used as a color name. Ochre can be obtained much the same color as an orange so I would think that the influx of the fruits to Europe after that simply nudged out ochre as the name for that specific slice of the orange palette.

Along those lines, color name specificity might be tied to the production of colors for oil painting at that time. They got tired of hand grinding and you want something more than "Give me a tube of blue."

Hence to trace to cerulean: 'blue' becomes 'light blue' or ceruleous from the Roman (1570), becomes 'sky blue' (1660s), a noun (1756) and the current hue (1885).

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Dang. Missed it by 400 years.