Trump’s First Month Has Been Anything But a ‘Fine-Tuned Machine’

 

by Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Carrie Dann

First Read is a morning briefing from Meet the Press and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.

The last 24 hours perfectly summed up President Trump's first month in office. In a 77-minute news conference Thursday to voice a series of grievances, Trump declared that his administration was running "like a fine-tuned machine," saying: "I turn on the TV, open the newspapers and I see stories of chaos. Chaos! Yet it is the exact opposite. This administration is running like a fine-tuned machine." Then, just a few hours later, the frontrunner to replace his ousted national security adviser declined to take the job.

Folks, that's anything but a fine-tuned machine (though the White House did finally hire a communications director). Indeed, perhaps the best way to describe Trump's first month is with three Cs — conflict, chaos, and constant. The conflict, of course, has involved the courts, the news media, Mexico, Nordstrom, and even Australia. The chaos? Try the travel ban, "alternative facts," and the very slow start to Trump's government. And constant describes how unrelenting the news and Trump's presence has been over the past month. Sure, there have been good moments (the Gorsuch pick, the meetings with business and union leaders). And, yes, all new White Houses have their struggles. But we've never, ever seen a first month like this. 

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Source: NBC News