WASHINGTON: While people in Pakistan are rightly focused on US President Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks about their country, many Americans are concerned about another tweet which ridiculed a rival Democrat.

In the tweet released on Sunday, Mr Trump misspelled Congressman Adam Schiff’s (Democrat) name as “Schitt”, apparently because the likely incoming House intelligence committee chairman had criticised the appointment of acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker.

“So funny to see little Adam Schitt talking about the fact that acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker was not approved by the Senate, but not mentioning the fact that Bob Mueller (who is highly conflicted) was not approved by the Senate!” Mr. Trump wrote.

Special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and like many other Department of Justice appointees, he did not require Senate confirmation for the position.

The US media reported on Monday afternoon that even more than 24 hours after the tweet, the White House had not clarified if it was a mistake or President Trump had purposely misspelled Mr Schiff’s name.

“Wow, Mr President, that’s a good one,” said Congressman Schiff while responding to Mr. Trump’s tweet. “Was that like your answers to Mr Mueller’s questions, or did you write this one yourself?”

“I feel like I’m back in seventh grade here, where we have juvenile name-calling,” said Congressman Mike Quigley, a Democrat from Illinois and member of the House intelligence committee, on CNN’s New Day.

“This is important stuff. We’re talking about protecting the rule of law, and the best the president can do is start calling people names.”

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2018