Former President Donald Trump was particularly "irked" when the magistrate judge overseeing his arraignment Thursday referred to him as simply "Mr. Trump," CNN's Kaitlan Collin's reported Thursday night. "That may not sound odd to anyone else, but he is still referred to by his former title, 'President Trump,' when he's at his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey" and at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, she explained.
Not only is Trump not entitled to the title, however, but referring to him as "Mr. President" is incorrect, Tom Nichols, a staff writer for The Atlantic, explained on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: "Some titles — governor, ambassador, certain military ranks and yes, 'professor' — are lifetime titles. 'President' is not; a president is the 'presiding officer' while he presides, which is why Senate Presidents are 'Mr/Madam President' only while they hold the gavel." More to the point, Nichols added, "America has only one president at a time," and it is not Trump. The former president pleaded not guilty Thursday to all four felony charges in the indictment, which accuses him of leading a conspiracy to remain in power after his 2020 electoral defeat. If convicted the 77-year-old could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Collins: I am told that one thing that irked him particularly was during that hearing today when the magistrate judge referred to him as simply Mr. Trump pic.twitter.com/XPqoy8Wki8
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 4, 2023
