U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a news conference after a summit of heads of state and government at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, July 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Donald Trump’s been known to have a nemesis or two. And when he identifies a challenger, he goes to work on ’em. 

In the past, we’ve heard about Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, “Sleepy Joe” Biden, “Mr. Tough Guy” John Bolton, Crooked Hillary, Slippery James Comey, Lyin’ Ted Cruz (later Beautiful Ted), and Pete “Alfred E. Neuman” Buttigieg.

Well, the Leader of the Free World’s at it again.

On Monday, the President unveiled his latest creation after announcing a bar against Bloomberg News press credentials at upcoming campaign stops.

Ladies and gentlemen…meet Mini Mike:

“Mini Mike Bloomberg has instructed his third rate news organization not to investigate him or any Democrat, but to go after President Trump, only. The failing New York Times thinks that is O.K., because their hatred & bias is so great they can’t even see straight. It’s not O.K.!”

Mini Mike Bloomberg has instructed his third rate news organization not to investigate him or any Democrat, but to go after President Trump, only. The Failing New York Times thinks that is O.K., because their hatred & bias is so great they can’t even see straight. It’s not O.K.!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2019

Of course, some across the aisle see Fox as a threat of the third-rate kind:

President Trump believes Bloomberg News is biased but Fox News is Trump Balanced.

President Obama's work day began at 9AM with cabinet and other staff meetings. President Trump begins his day with Fox News brainwashing and reinforcement.#Trump2020 pic.twitter.com/EXD0xAAiSy

— Jack Polakoff (@JackPolakoff) December 2, 2019

And The New York Times is buttressing the ‘Berg:

NYT editor @deanbaquet condemns Trump campaign's decision to deny credentials to Bloomberg News pic.twitter.com/0zZYjjNugM

— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) December 2, 2019

The hubbub began with a notice to Bloomberg employees from the company’s editor-in-chief, John Micklethwait, that laid out a biased policy:

“We will continue our tradition of not investigating Mike (and his family and foundation) and we will extend the same policy to his rivals in the Democratic primaries. We cannot treat Mike’s democratic competitors differently from him.” 

Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait just sent this note to staffers: "There is no point in trying to claim that covering this presidential campaign will be easy for a newsroom that has built up its reputation for independence in part by not writing about ourselves…" pic.twitter.com/RvfvpsZgDV

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) November 24, 2019

Hence, as previously passed along by RedState’s legendary streiff, the Trump team released a statement:

The decision by Bloomberg News to formalize preferential reporting policies is troubling and wrong.

Bloomberg News has declared that they won’t investigate their boss or his Democrat competitors, many of whom are current holders of high office, but will continue critical reporting on President Trump.

Since they have declared their bias openly, the Trump campaign will no longer credential representatives of Bloomberg News for rallies or other campaign events. We will determine whether to engage with individual reporters or answer inquiries from Bloomberg News on a case-by-case basis. This will remain the policy of the Trump campaign until Bloomberg News publicly rescinds its decision.

.@parscale: “Since [Bloomberg has] declared their bias openly, the Trump campaign will no longer credential representatives of Bloomberg News for rallies or other campaign events.”@TeamTrump statement below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/69ePodhTwQ

— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) December 2, 2019

And Republicans are defending The Donald:

Media outlets should be independent and fair, and this decision proves that Bloomberg News is neither.

The @GOP stands with @TeamTrump and will no longer credential Bloomberg representatives. https://t.co/nxWiBbEI0s

— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) December 2, 2019

But this isn’t the President’s first Michael-mocking missile. In fact, the new moniker may even be an upgrade. He’s mini now; as I relayed in November, Bloomberg had — in Trump’s view — attained the status of nothingness:

“[I] know Michael. He became just a Nothing. He was really a Nothing. He’s not going to do well. But I think he’s going to hurt Biden, actually. But he doesn’t have the magic to do well. “

His next line may have convinced him he was onto something:

“Little Michael will fail.”

It just didn’t have the snappy alliteration that “Mini” provides.

Something tells me this won’t be the last we hear of the minimizing moniker.

Of course, there’s always a chance for redemption:

But for now, it’s out with Little Michael and in with Mini Mike. The Commander-in-Chief’s commandeered a catchier consonant.

-ALEX

Relevant RedState links in this article: here.

See 3 more pieces from me:

Texas Governor Greg Abbott Praises Kanye West for His Prison Ministry: He’s ‘Saving One Soul at a Time’

A Woke Student at the University of Michigan Tears Up and Trashes a Conservative Display. His Reason is Terrifying

Trump Sounds Off on Impeachment’s Gagging of the GOP: ‘Nobody’s Ever Had Such Horrible Due Process,’ ‘It’s a Disgrace’

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