9 unhinged Donald Trump moments as Elon Musk posts oddly-worded message
Tanks rolled through the streets of Washington DC last night, as Donald Trump goaded troops into booing elected politicians and journalists. And Elon Musk says he might have gone "too far". Here's everything you need to know
Tanks rolled through the streets of Washington DC last night, as Donald Trump goaded troops into booing elected politicians and journalists.
The President branded fellow Americans who protested against his policies "animals."
He warned there would be a harsh response to anyone who took part in protests during a military parade on his birthday.
And that all happened within the space of about two hours.
Here's everything you need to know about that - plus Elon Musk walking back some of his tweets.
1. He called protesters "animals" and "paid insurrectionists"
During a Q&A in the Oval Office, Trump branded people protesting against his programme of mass deportations "animals."
And he claimed - without providing any evidence - that protesters in LA are "paid".
"It would have been total control if we didn't have the military in there, the National Guard, and we also sent in some Marines," he said.
"We had some bad people. We had people they look in your face and they spit right in your face. They're animals.
2. He lied about talking to California's governor
Asked at the Tuesday press conference when he last spoke to California Governor Gavin Newsom, Trump said: "A day ago."
Mr Newsom pointed out that wasn't true, saying there had been no phone call - not even a voicemail.
Then the White House did something very weird - they released a call log, apparently intended to disprove Newsom's denial.
But the call log said Trump's last call to Newsom was a 16 minute call on...Friday - four days earlier, before troops were deployed to LA.
So we're not sure why they did that.
3. Tanks started rolling into Washington
As we've mentioned before, Trump is gearing up for a massive display of America's military might - with a huge tank parade set for the streets of Washington on Saturday.
Trump is said to have been inspired by seeing the Bastille Day parade in Paris, and has been trying to get this done since his first term.
Saturday is Flag Day, which marks the 250th anniversary of the US Army. It also happens to be Donald Trump's 79th birthday.
4. He gave a stern warning to anyone planning to protest at his birthday parade
Woe betide anyone who decides to exercise their first amendment right to protest during the military parade.
"We're going to celebrate big on Saturday," he said.
"If any protesters want to come out, they will be met with very big force."
It's been pointed out that he didn't say anything about the "big force" being reserved for violent protesters.
"People that want to protest will be met with big force," he said - acknowledging he'd not heard of any plans for a protest in DC.
5. He goaded soldiers into booing two elected American politicians
Later Trump gave a speech to troops at Fort Bragg, during which he repeated several baseless conspiracy theories about the protests in LA.
But his most searing attacks were aimed at California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass - whom the President encouraged the troops to boo.
'In Los Angeles, the governor of California, the mayor of Los Angeles, they're incompetent and they paid troublemakers, agitators and insurrectionists," he said.
"They're engaged in this willful attempt to nullify federal law, and aid the occupation of the city by criminal invaders."
None of the above is true. But the troops, sworn to defend and protect America from enemies foreign and domestic, booed California's elected politicians loudly.
6. And journalists. He got them to boo journalists too
Oh and obviously he goaded them into booing journalists doing their job. Of course he did.
7. He issued a vague threat to Europe
There was a weird moment where he compared the protests in LA to a vague attack on Europe.
"We will liberate Los Angeles and make it free, clean, and safe again," he said.
"It's happening very quickly."
He went on: "They have it in Europe too. It's happening in many of the countries in Europe. They don't like it when I say it, I'll say it loudly and clearly, they'd better do something before it's too late."
It's unclear what he meant by any of this.
8. He vowed to rename army bases after a string of enemies of the united states
Trump declared he plans to rename seven Army Bases after Confederate traitors, who opposed the United States in the Civil War - taking the side of the southern states in the conflict over slavery.
Among them is Robert E Lee, who was commander of the Confederate States Army.
9. Aaaaand Elon Musk is walking back "some" of his tweets
The biggest beef in modern political history may have cooled somewhat.
Last week the bromance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk imploded in operatic fashion - with Trump threatening to pull Musk's government contracts and Musk making a wild and unsubstantiated claim that Trump appeared in FBI files about dead paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Well, towards the end of last week Musk quietly deleted some of the more inflammatory posts - specifically the ones about Epstein.
And this morning, he issued an oddly worded statement on X, saying: "I regret some of my posts about President Trump last week. They went too far."
He doesn't say they were wrong, or jokes, or exaggerated or explain why they went too far. Only that he regrets them. Like I say, odd.
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