It all started with President Trump claiming on Twitter that Hurricane Dorian was also coming for Alabama.
But after scientists pointed out this was incorrect, the President didn’t move on or even admit to his mistake.
Trump has gone out of his way to doctor maps to show he was right — which turns out to be illegal. As one weather journalist tweeted, “it is a violation of federal law to falsify a National Weather Service forecast and pass it off as official.”
And he has done this doctoring in such an amateurish way that he has become the subject of Internet memes and late night comics’ mockery.
Watch this play in 4 acts.
1) On Sunday Trump tweets this:
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
2) The National Weather Service tweeted a correction:
Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east. #alwx
— NWS Birmingham (@NWSBirmingham) September 1, 2019
3) A few days later President Trump still could not get over the slight.
So he brings out a map in the Oval Office in which a pen has been used to draw a fake line by sharpie to include Alabama.
The black outlined area on this very outdated @NHC_Atlantic #Dorian graphic that Trump just used in his update was added and not a part of the official forecast. @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/XMQmepPyj6
— Kait Parker (@WeatherKait) September 4, 2019
4) That still isn’t the end of it! Yesterday Trump tweeted out another picture to support his claims, with more fake lines added to a map.
This was the originally projected path of the Hurricane in its early stages. As you can see, almost all models predicted it to go through Florida also hitting Georgia and Alabama. I accept the Fake News apologies! pic.twitter.com/0uCT0Qvyo6
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2019
Those added black lines look obviously fake and added. Even a child could see they were added later, like a late homework.
Here is the original and correct map that the President Trump did not tweet out (via Mother Jones)
Last night comedian Seth Myers also covered the issue with his customary hilarity.