A lawmaker named a bill targeting Trump's Twitter use after 'COVFEFE' - and it actually stands for something
Or at least that's the hope of Democratic lawmaker Mike Quigley, who on Monday proposed a bill that would ensure each one of President Donald Trump's tweets is preserved in history.
The Communications Over Various Feeds Electronically for Engagement, or - wait for it - COVFEFE Act - would add social media posts to the list of records filed under the Presidential Records Act.
"In order to maintain trust in government, elected officials must answer for what they do and say," Quigley, an Illinois representative, said in a statement. "This includes 140-character tweets."
"President Trump's frequent, unfiltered use of his personal Twitter account as a means of official communication is unprecedented. If the President is going to take to social media to make sudden public policy proclamations, we must ensure that these statements are documented and preserved for future reference."
The bill's title is a reference to a confusing, after-midnight tweet Trump posted last month that simply read, "Despite the constant negative press covfefe." The tweet stayed up for hours while social media users went wild with jokes at Trump's expense.
Although most assumed the president meant to type "coverage," Trump added a layer of mystery to the word with a tweet later that morning that said "Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!"
Press secretary Sean Spicer didn't clear things up when a reporter brought up the cryptic message that afternoon.
"I think the president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant," Spicer said.
Trump's use of Twitter, and especially his occasional deletion of tweets, has sparked debate among legal scholars as to whether social media posts are official presidential records. The Presidential Records Act of 1978 mandates the preservation of all records issued by presidents and vice presidents.
- Love in the time of elections: Do politics spice up or spoil dating in India?
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review – the best smartphone in the S24 lineup
- Household savings dip over Rs 9 lakh cr in 3 years to Rs 14.16 lakh cr in 2022-23
- Misleading ads: SC says public figures must act with responsibility while endorsing products
- Here’s what falling inside a black hole would look like, according to a NASA supercomputer simulation
- Nothing Phone (2a) blue edition launched
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market