Headline: Trump buried in scorn for trying to ban TikTok: ‘He doesn’t get how anything works’

‘President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday that he intends to end the use of the Chinese social media platform TikTik in America. “As far as TikTok is concerned we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump reportedly said.’ (Rawstory, July 31, 2020)

He added he could take action as soon as tomorrow, whereupon Aaron Rupar Tweeted, “I’d be more apt to believe Trump is really banning TikTok if he hadn’t said mere hours ago that he plans to sign a major health care plan on Sunday. He doesn’t get how anything works.”

Trump has no idea how social media other than his Twitter account, or even the Internet itself, actually works. He doesn’t use a computer, only his phone for Tweets. He never searches, let alone researches, anything on Google or any other search engine. He doesn’t know what a ‘search engine’ is. The only information he ever gets is from trash television — not even good television. He doesn’t even use email — has never sent an email — to anyone. He is utterly reliant upon his handlers for anything to do with the Internet or the digital Age of Information generally.

This is why he doesn’t understand how Putin’s interference with the American elections via social media and the Internet is a thing. He has no concept of how that would work. That’s why he just lazily and slavishly believes Putin when he makes “very strong and powerful” denials to him and lies to his face (or over the phone, as during the 7 calls Trump has made to Putin since March). It’s easier, and he doesn’t understand anyway — can’t grasp it.

This level of ignorance, given the position he’s in, makes him very, very dangerous.