President Trump is battling the media this week over a tweet from Sunday when he included Alabama in a list of states at risk from Hurricane Dorian, even though Alabama was included in numerous National Hurricane Center maps as being at risk from Dorian for tropical storm force winds.
August 29 map.
“In addition to Florida – South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Looking like one of the largest hurricanes ever. Already category 5. BE CAREFUL! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!”
In addition to Florida – South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Looking like one of the largest hurricanes ever. Already category 5. BE CAREFUL! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2019
The media has gone nuclear on Trump over this, including accusing him of committing a federal crime for displaying on Wednesday an early National Hurricane Center cone map of Dorian with a hand drawn extension showing Alabama as a likely target.
President Trump showed a doctored hurricane chart.
It's actually illegal to distribute false U.S. gov't weather reports.
Our report: https://t.co/q26aF3N5Jg pic.twitter.com/8nu1VC6d3l
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) September 5, 2019
But a map produced by the NHC the day after Trump’s tweet shows southeastern Alabama at risk for tropical storm force winds.
National Hurricane Center Advisory 36 issued September 2nd shows Alabama at risk for tropical storm force winds from Hurricane Dorian.
This map was found on Trump’s Twitter page as he retweeted it without comment on Monday.
Tropical-storm-force winds are mostly likely to start in Georgia early on Wednesday, in South Carolina late Wednesday, and in North Carolina early Thursday. Follow the latest #Dorian forecast at https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/WjJzaNFncj
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 2, 2019
The previous advisory, issued September 1st, also showed Alabama at risk and was retweeted by Trump.
Hurricane Watches Expanded Northward Along the East Coast to the Florida/Georgia Border. Here are the 11 PM EDT 09/01 Key Messages for #Dorian. For more info see https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/CYtMosB5et
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 2, 2019
CNN’s “fact-checker” reporter Daniel Dale attacked Trump on Thursday, citing his statement Sunday following a briefing on Dorian where Trump mentioned Alabama, “Trump’s whole point on Sunday was that Alabama had not originally been anticipated to be hit but that it “just came up” that it now might be. He’s now saying — obviously falsely — he had been talking Sunday about the original forecasts that no longer applied at the time.”
The quote cited by Dale shows Trump accurately stating the risk to Alabama:
…”Thank you very much, Roy. The federal government stands ready to assist their readiness, response, and recovery operations. And, I will say, the states–and it may get a little piece of a great place: It’s called Alabama. And Alabama could even be in for at least some very strong winds and something more than that, it could be. This just came up, unfortunately….”
Trump’s whole point on Sunday was that Alabama had not originally been anticipated to be hit but that it “just came up” that it now might be. He’s now saying — obviously falsely — he had been talking Sunday about the original forecasts that no longer applied at the time. pic.twitter.com/A8Qg5yN1nu
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 5, 2019
We are now on day five of the media attacking President Trump for accurately saying Alabama was at risk from Hurricane Dorian.
