Bolton is the latest in a long line of people Trump has accused of begging him for something
When a former supporter starts criticizing President Donald Trump, he has a favorite response: accusing them of previously having begged him for something, whether or not they had actually done so.
“In Trump’s world, everyone who turns on him at one point asked him for a favor and was turned down, making Trump the top dog in the end,” Orin Kerr, a conservative law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote on Twitter last year.
Trump played the “begged” card again this week. After the New York Times reported that former national security adviser John Bolton’s unpublished book alleges Trump said he wanted to withhold aid to Ukraine until Ukraine helped with investigations into Democrats, Trump tweeted — among other jabs — that Bolton had “‘begged’ me for a non-Senate approved job, which I gave him despite many saying ‘Don’t do it, sir.'”
Here are just some of the other people — some of them former allies, some not — Trump has accused of begging him for something:
Sen. Mitt Romney
What happened: In October 2019, Romney, a Utah senator, criticized Trump’s request for Ukraine and China to investigate Joe Biden.
Trump’s response: Trump called Romney “a pompous ‘ass’ who has been fighting me from the beginning, except when he begged me for my endorsement for his Senate run (I gave it to him), and when he begged me to be Secretary of State (I didn’t give it to him).”
Anthony Scaramucci
What happened: In August 2019, Anthony Scaramucci, who served briefly as Trump’s White House press secretary, accused Trump on CNN of having “gone off the rails” and “sounding more and more nonsensical.”
Trump’s response: During remarks to reporters a day later, Trump went after Scaramucci. “He wanted to come back into the administration for the last five months, begging me to come back in. I said, ‘Anthony, I can’t take you in. I’m sorry.’ He called so much. He’s a nervous, neurotic wreck. He called so much, and I said, ‘Anthony, I’m sorry. I can’t do that. I can’t take you in.” And I said, ‘You got to stop all these phone calls. Too many calls, Anthony.'”
Scaramucci shot back, saying on Twitter that Trump accusing him of having begged for a job was “predictable.” He added, “It is the coarseness of the language and the rank bullying that have hurt the office of the presidency and has now put us in peril.”
Omarosa Manigault Newman
What happened: In August 2018, Omarosa, the former “The Apprentice” reality star Trump hired as a White House aide, began releasing audio recordings from her time in the administration.
Trump’s response: “She never made it, never will,” Trump tweeted. “She begged me for a job, tears in her eyes, I said Ok. People in the White House hated her.”
Steve Bannon
What happened: In January 2018, journalist Michael Wolff released a bestselling book, Fire and Fury, that portrayed an unflattering portrait of Trump’s presidency. Wolff included critical comments from Steve Bannon, a former senior Trump advisor.
Trump’s response: “Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book,” Trump tweeted. “He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad!”
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
What happened: In December 2017, Gillibrand, a Democratic New York senator, called on Trump to resign over sexual assault allegations against him.
Trump’s response: Trump tweeted: “Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office ‘begging’ for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump.”
Gillibrand called Trump’s comment “a sexist smear attempting to silence my voice.” She said she would not back down.
Sen. Bob Corker
What happened: In October 2017, the Republican Corker, then a Tennessee senator, praised Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and White House chief of staff John Kelly as “people that help separate our country from chaos.”
Trump’s response: Trump hit back on Twitter: “Senator Bob Corker ‘begged’ me to endorse him for re-election in Tennessee. I said ‘NO’ and he dropped out (said he could not win without my endorsement)…”
Corker’s office denied this claim, saying Trump had actually urged Corker to run again and offered the endorsement.
Sen. John McCain
What happened: In October 2016, McCain, the late Republican Arizona senator, withdrew his endorsement of Trump after the disclosure of a recording of Trump boasting about groping women.
Trump’s response: Trump fired back: “The very foul mouthed Sen. John McCain begged for my support during his primary (I gave, he won), then dropped me over locker room remarks!”
Brent Bozell
What happened: Brent Bozell, founder and president of the conservative Media Research Center, wrote an essay criticizing Trump in an anti-Trump issue of conservative magazine National Review.
Trump’s response: “@BrentBozell, one of the National Review lightweights, came to my office begging for money like a dog,” Trump tweeted. “Why doesn’t he say that?”
Bozell, who later became supportive of Trump, wrote in a 2019 book criticizing the media for its treatment of the President: “Maybe because it wasn’t true? I had not gone to him for money; he’d invited me for lunch to discuss his potential campaign. I hadn’t groveled. I hadn’t even asked for money. He’d offered it.”
The New Hampshire Union Leader
What happened: In December 2015, the New Hampshire Union Leader ran a scathing front-page editorial that described Trump as a “crude blowhard.”
Trump’s response: “Wow @UnionLeader circulation in NH has dropped from 75,000 to around 10—bad management,” Trump tweeted. “No wonder they begged me for ads.”
Trump’s figure was way off even if he meant 10,000.
John Oliver
Trump has occasionally made similar accusations without actually using the word “beg” or its variants.
What happened: In October 2015, HBO “Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver said he had no interest in having Trump on the show.
Trump’s response: The next day, Trump tweeted, “John Oliver had his people call to ask me to be on his very boring and low rated show. I said ‘NO THANKS’ Waste of time & energy!”
The show’s Twitter account responded: “1. Yes, we have a boring show. 2. At no point did we invite Donald Trump to appear on it.” Oliver said in 2017: “It was a total lie. A meaningless lie. What kind of moron would lie about something this pathetic?”
Gov. Rick Perry
What happened: In July 2015, Perry, the former Texas governor who was running against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination — and who later became Trump’s energy secretary — sharply criticized Trump in a variety of ways.
Trump’s response: Trump posted a photo of himself posing with Perry and tweeted, “@GovernorPerry in my office last cycle playing nice and begging for my support and money. Hypocrite!”
Dana Perino
What happened: In June 2015, Perino, the Fox News commentator and co-host and former White House secretary for Republican President George W. Bush, criticized Trump and his presidential announcement speech.
Trump’s response: “Why did @DanaPerino beg me for a tweet (endorsement) when her book was launched?” he tweeted.
Alan Sugar
What happened: In December 2012, businessman Alan Sugar, star of the British version of The Apprentice, expressed support for wind turbines in Scotland, which Trump opposed. They then traded barbs.
Trump’s response: “Leightweight @Lord Sugar virtually begged my reps to have me stop mocking him,” Trump tweeted. “Every time this dope goes on Apprentice I make money-too easy.”
Penn Jillette
What happened: In November 2012, magician Penn Jillette published a book in which he poked fun at Trump and The Apprentice.
Trump’s response: “I let @pennjillette come back on the record 13th season of ‘All Star’ @CelebApprentice after he relentlessly begged me to–good t.v.” Trump tweeted.
David Letterman
What happened: Letterman, the late-night talk host, accused Trump of racism in April 2011 for questioning how President Barack Obama got into Ivy League universities. Letterman said he wasn’t sure he wanted Trump back on his show, but if Trump did return, he “ought to be prepared to apologize just for that kind of behavior.”
Trump’s response: In August 2012, Trump tweeted, “Letterman @Late_Show begging me to go back on his low rated show–calls lots–must apologize for racist comment.”
