China praises Trump's letter to Xi, belated well-wishes

Trump shoots the messenger, Senator Blumenthal

It was a bit of a kiss-and-tell moment when Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, told reporters that President Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, had called Mr. Trump’s attacks on the judiciary “demoralizing” and “disheartening.”

But the account was readily confirmed on the record by a White House adviser, Ron Bonjean, working to advance the Gorsuch confirmation.

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That wasn’t enough to stop the president from going after Mr. Bluementhal where it hurt:

Sen.Richard Blumenthal, who never fought in Vietnam when he said for years he had (major lie),now misrepresents what Judge Gorsuch told him?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Feb. 9, 2017

The president was referring to 2010 news, broken in The New York Times, a media outlet he has openly criticized, that Mr. Blumenthal had exaggerated his Vietnam-era service. Of course, Mr. Trump did not serve in Vietnam either, with that bad foot of his.

He also might want to be making friends with the senators who need to confirm Judge Gorsuch, but diplomacy is not always the president’s strong suit.

The president did tip his hand to what news program he was watching Thursday morning: CNN, where Mr. Blumenthal was being interviewed. With his trademark subtlety, Mr. Trump registered his discontent.

Chris Cuomo, in his interview with Sen. Blumenthal, never asked him about his long-term lie about his brave "service" in Vietnam. FAKE NEWS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Feb. 9, 2017