On Friday morning, authorities in Florida announced they had arrested a suspect in connection with the wave of attempted bombings that have targeted prominent Democrats and critics of President Donald Trump.
MSNBC identified the suspect as Florida resident Cesar Sayoc Jr.
BREAKING: Cesar Sayoc Jr., a Florida resident, is suspect arrested in Florida in connection with wave of pipe bomb packages, law enforcement sources tell @NBCInvestigates. https://t.co/x4GyNljvU0 pic.twitter.com/vVo4JC6rn9
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 26, 2018
Trump was briefed about the bombing by chief of staff.
Earlier, at 3:14 AM eastern standard time, President Trump tweeted:
Funny how lowly rated CNN, and others, can criticize me at will, even blaming me for the current spate of Bombs and ridiculously comparing this to September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing, yet when I criticize them they go wild and scream, “it’s just not Presidential!”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2018
Later in the morning, the president tweeted:
Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this “Bomb” stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows - news not talking politics. Very unfortunate, what is going on. Republicans, go out and vote!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2018
Trump’s complaint that he’s being criticized for not being “presidential” seems particularly ironic. After all, it’s hard to think of a less presidential response to the current moment than Trump’s own actions: responding to terrorist threats made against your opponents by claiming to be the true victim.