# Post x_838353481526312961

- Post ID: `x_838353481526312961`
- Platform: X (Twitter)
- Posted: 2017-03-05T11:40:20.000Z (UTC)
- Deleted: no
- Repost: no
- Canonical URL: https://trump.fm/post/x_838353481526312961
- Analysis page: https://trump.fm/post/x_838353481526312961/analysis
- Audio narration: https://static.trump.fm/audio/x_838353481526312961.mp3 (a synthesized voice reading the post text, not a recording)

## Post text

> Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility?" @foxandfriends

## Engagement

- Likes: 126,453
- Reposts: 37,134
- Replies: 0
- Views: unknown
- Metrics collected: 2026-01-31T23:43:13.391Z (UTC)

# Analysis

_Machine-generated by trump.fm on 2026-03-11T10:16:35.658Z (UTC): a model's reading of this post, not his words. Its psychological terms describe the language, not a clinical assessment of him._

## Analysis: Whataboutism Deflection via Obama-Medvedev Hot Mic Reference

### Context
This post references the well-known March 2012 incident where President Obama was caught on a hot mic telling Russian President Medvedev, "Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility." Trump poses this as a rhetorical question while tagging Fox & Friends, his preferred media amplifier.

### Situational Context
This post comes amid intense scrutiny of Trump-Russia connections. Jeff Sessions had just recused himself from the Russia investigation, and Trump had spent the previous day making explosive (and false) claims about Obama wiretapping Trump Tower. This post continues the pattern of deflecting Russia scrutiny onto Obama.

### Authorship
Posted at 6:40 AM EST (Trump was likely at Mar-a-Lago given the weekend timing). This is classic early-morning "executive time" posting, likely while watching Fox & Friends (explicitly tagged). The rhetorical question format, the direct Fox & Friends tag, and the deflection pattern are all hallmarks of authentic Trump posting.

### Psychological Dynamics
The post is a textbook projection/whataboutism maneuver. Under pressure about his own campaign's Russia contacts, Trump redirects attention to Obama's Russia interactions. The faux-naive rhetorical question ("Who was it...?") is a passive-aggressive framing device — everyone knows the answer; the question format is designed to make the audience feel they are discovering something scandalous.

### Defense Mechanisms
Primary defense is **projection** — attributing inappropriate Russia connections to Obama while under scrutiny for his own. Secondary is **displacement** — redirecting the emotional charge of the Russia investigation onto a safer target (Obama, who cannot retaliate as effectively). The whataboutism serves as **rationalization** — implicitly arguing "if Obama did it, my connections are normal."

### Rhetorical Analysis
The rhetorical question is a classic propaganda device. By not stating the answer, Trump invites the audience into a shared conspiracy of knowledge. The Fox & Friends tag ensures amplification through his most sympathetic media outlet, creating a feedback loop (he watches the show, tweets about it, the show covers his tweet).

### Fact Verification

| Claim | Verdict | Evidence |
|-------|---------|----------|
| "A sitting President secretly told Russian President to tell Vladimir he'd have more flexibility after the election" | **Mostly True** | Obama was caught on hot mic March 26, 2012 telling Medvedev 'After my election I have more flexibility' regarding missile defense. The word 'secretly' is editorializing — it was a private aside caught on mic, not a secret communication. |

Overall Veracity: 80%

## Authorship Analysis

**Self-Written** (score: 95%)

### Indicators

- 6:40 AM EST early morning posting
- Fox & Friends tag typical of morning TV watching
- rhetorical question format common in authentic posts
- deflection pattern consistent with emotional reactivity
- no polished formatting or event announcement structure

## Psychological Profile

### State

**Grandiose State**

**Trigger:** Narcissistic Injury — Exposure (Sessions recusal and Russia investigation scrutiny)

Sentiment: -0.30

### Clinical

**Malignant Narcissism:**
- Narcissistic: 30%
- Antisocial: 20%
- Paranoid: 30%
- Sadism: 10%

**Defense Mechanisms:**
- projection (immature)
- rationalization (neurotic)
- displacement (neurotic)

**Cognitive Complexity:**
- Complexity: 40%

**Parasocial Techniques:**
- direct address to Fox & Friends audience
- rhetorical question inviting audience participation in discovery

## Fact Checks (1)

_The model's verdicts from 2026-03-11._

> A sitting President secretly told Russian President to tell Vladimir he'd have more flexibility after the election

**MOSTLY TRUE**

Obama was caught on hot mic March 26, 2012 telling Medvedev 'After my election I have more flexibility' regarding missile defense. The word 'secretly' is editorializing — it was a private aside caught on mic, not a secret communication.

Sources: 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit hot mic incident

Overall Veracity: 80%

## Tags

- whataboutism (90%)
- projection (80%)
- russia_investigation (90%)
- obama_attack (80%)
- fox_and_friends (50%)

## That day

_From trump.fm's machine-generated digest of the day, not his words._

**The Morning After the Storm: Strategic Deflection Replaces Saturday's Rage**

A remarkably quiet day with only three posts, coming after the explosive wiretapping accusations against Obama the day before. The morning started with two quick, calculated posts attempting to redirect the Russia investigation narrative toward the DNC and Obama, using a cool "just asking questions" tone that sharply contrasted with the previous day's fury. The day ended with a generic rally-thanking message at midday, and then silence — a notable cooldown after one of the most volatile weekends of the young presidency.

Full digest for 2017-03-05: https://trump.fm/date/2017-03-05/analysis

## Citation

- APA: Trump, D. J. (2017, March 5). Who was it that secretly said to Russian... [Social media post]. X (Twitter). trump.fm. https://trump.fm/post/x_838353481526312961
- MLA: Trump, Donald J. "Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell..." X (Twitter), 5 Mar. 2017. trump.fm, https://trump.fm/post/x_838353481526312961. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.
- Chicago: Donald J. Trump, "Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell...," X (Twitter), March 5, 2017, archived at trump.fm, https://trump.fm/post/x_838353481526312961.

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