President Donald Trump Bashed for Rude Tweets Ahead of Barbara Bush’s Funeral

President Donald Trump is taking criticism for a series of tweets he posted early on Saturday morning, before the funeral of former First Lady Barbara Bush.

Barbara Bush’s funeral service began at 12 p.m. ET at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas on Saturday. President Trump did not attend, stating that he wanted to “avoid disruption” for the sake of the family. However, he was on Twitter early on Saturday morning, posting some angry statements that many thought were in poor taste considering the focus of the day.

“The New York Times and a third rate reporter named Maggie Haberman,” he wrote just after 6 a.m.. “Known as a Crooked H flunkie who I don’t speak to and have nothing to do with, are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will ‘flip.’ They use….”

“….non-existent ‘sources’ and a drunk/drugged up loser who hates Michael, a fine person with a wonderful family,” the president went on. “Michael is a businessman for his own account/lawyer who I have always liked & respected. Most people will flip if the Government lets them out of trouble, even if….”

“….it means lying or making up stories. Sorry, I don’t see Michael doing that despite the horrible Witch Hunt and the dishonest media!” he concluded.

Shortly after the Twitter thread began, photos of the president standing beside Haberman began surfacing. However, others seemed more perturbed by the president’s decision to launch another attack on the New York Times as most of the political world gathered to mourn a former First Lady.

“Just observing that this is the morning of Barbara Bush’s funeral in Houston and the official presidential messages so far are about ‘flunkies,’ ‘drunk/drugged up losers’ and ‘the horrible Witch Hunt,’” noted Philip Rucker, political analyst for The Washington Post and MSNBC.

“As many prepare to watch the burial of Barbara Bush and honor her remarkable life, Donald Trump this morning is doing everything she would have never done,” wrote CNN’s Ana Navarro. “Use the presidential platform to personally attack other Americans. I’m glad at least he had the damn sense not to show-up.”

Former presidents George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were all in attendance at the funeral. Current First Lady Melania Trump made the trip to Texas as well.

A few hours after berating the New York Times, President Trump tweeted a promotion for an early campaign rally he is holding next weekend, followed by a video of people crowding the streets in Key West, Florida as his motorcade passed. He then posted two tributes to the late Barbara Bush.

“Heading to the Southern White House to watch the Funeral Service of Barbara Bush. First Lady Melania has arrived in Houston to pay our respects. Will be a beautiful day!”