Analysis: The #AmazonWashingtonPost, sometimes referred to as the guar...

9y ago Jun 28, 2017 at 1:06 PM

The #AmazonWashingtonPost, sometimes referred to as the guardian of Amazon not paying internet taxes (which they should) is FAKE NEWS!

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AI Analysis

Machine-generated analysis of the post above on 2026-03-11. Not written by the author of the post.

Danger Level

None

Narcissistic State

Grandiose

Authorship

Self-Written

Intensity

50%

Authorship Analysis

Self-Written

Indicators:

Portmanteau nickname (#AmazonWashingtonPost)
Parenthetical aside mid-sentence
ALL CAPS 'FAKE NEWS'
Stream-of-consciousness syntax
Morning post but stylistically authentic

Psychological Profile

▶ State

Grandiose State

Trigger: Narcissistic Injury — Criticism (Washington Post reporting)

Rage: Intensity 50% targeting Washington Post / Jeff Bezos / Amazon

Proportionality

30%

Sentiment

-0.70

Mildly Hypomanic

Rapid-fire media attacks across multiple targets over 24 hours

▶ Clinical

Malignant Narcissism:

Narcissistic

50%

Antisocial

30%

Paranoid

40%

Sadism

20%

Defense Mechanisms:

denialprojectiondisplacement

Cognitive Complexity:

Complexity

35%

Cognitive Markers:

tangentiality

Parasocial Techniques:

Framing audience as insiders who know the 'real' story behind WaPo

Danger Assessment

None

Gaslighting Detected:

Blanket dismissal of an entire newspaper as 'FAKE NEWS' without citing any specific false report
Implying WaPo journalism is motivated by Amazon's tax interests rather than editorial judgment

Reality Distortions:

Amazon not paying internet taxes (largely resolved by 2017)
WaPo serves as 'guardian' of Amazon's tax avoidance (no evidence of editorial-business connection)

Fact Checks (1)

"Amazon does not pay internet taxes"

Mostly False

By mid-2017, Amazon collected sales tax in all 45 states that have one. The claim was outdated; Amazon had largely resolved this issue by early 2017.

Receipts

No contradictions with other posts detected yet.

Analysis: Post x_880049704620494848 (2017-06-28)

Content

"The #AmazonWashingtonPost, sometimes referred to as the guardian of Amazon not paying internet taxes (which they should) is FAKE NEWS!"

Authorship

Posted at 13:06 UTC = 9:06 AM ET. Trump was likely in Washington, DC (White House) during this period. Morning posting during business hours, but the style—portmanteau nickname, parenthetical asides, ALL CAPS "FAKE NEWS"—is distinctly Trump. The informal, stream-of-consciousness quality with the awkward parenthetical insertion is characteristic of authentic posts.

Psychological Analysis

This is a continuation of a sustained media-attack sequence spanning June 27-28, targeting CNN, NYT, NBC, CBS, ABC, and now WaPo. The novel element is conflating WaPo with Amazon, attacking Jeff Bezos's business interests as a way to delegitimize the paper's journalism—a classic ad hominem deflection.

The "internet taxes" claim reflects Trump's long-running grievance that Amazon avoids sales tax collection, which by 2017 was largely outdated (Amazon collected sales tax in all states with such taxes). The parenthetical "(which they should)" is a performative policy aside meant to frame the attack as principled rather than personal.

Defense Mechanisms

Denial/distortion: Blanket "FAKE NEWS" dismissal without addressing any specific reporting
Displacement: Attacking media rather than engaging with the substantive pressures (healthcare bill collapse, Mueller probe expansion)

Rhetorical Techniques

The portmanteau "#AmazonWashingtonPost" is a branding technique—fusing the newspaper with a commercial entity to imply corrupt motive. The phrase "sometimes referred to as" creates false attribution to unnamed others, a common rhetorical distancing device.

Context

This post occurs amid significant political pressure: the Senate healthcare vote delay, Mueller probe expansion, and the Comey tapes admission. The sustained media barrage across these two days is consistent with deflection from unfavorable news cycles.

Fact Verification

Claim	Verdict	Evidence
"Amazon does not pay internet taxes"	Mostly False	By mid-2017, Amazon collected sales tax in all 45 states that have one. The claim was outdated; Amazon had largely resolved this issue by early 2017.

Overall Veracity: 20%