When Trump Tweets ⇥ washingtonpost.com

Jenna Johnson, Washington Post:

About a year ago, 18-year-old college student Lauren Batchelder stood up at a political forum in New Hampshire and told Donald Trump that she didn’t think he was “a friend to women.”

The next morning, Trump fired back on Twitter — calling Batchelder an “arrogant young woman” and accusing her of being a “plant” from a rival campaign. Her phone began ringing with callers leaving threatening messages that were often sexual in nature. Her Facebook and email inboxes filled with similar messages. As her addresses circulated on social media and her photo flashed on the news, she fled home to hide.

Charlie Warzel, Buzzfeed:

It’s tricky and unprecedented territory for Twitter. Trump is obviously free to mention individuals by name on Twitter, especially as they relate to policy and governing. However, Trump’s new role as the most powerful leader in the free world as well as, his extreme visibility, and the history of his followers targeting and harassing his enemies create potential fallout that stands to affect real people, regardless of the intent with which they are made. Simply put: as President, the potential consequences of Trump’s speech make his case — and Twitter’s potential enforcement — somewhat unique.

I don’t think this is just unprecedented for Twitter; this is unprecedented for a civilized democracy. In no comparable country does someone operating at the national governance level publicly denounce private citizens or individual companies.

Philip Bump, Washington Post:

Shares of stock in aircraft manufacturer Boeing fell nearly $2 a share before markets opened on Tuesday.

The reason? A tweet from the president-elect.

In an extraordinary display of capitulation, lobbying, and — arguably — a flirtation with outright bribery, Boeing has now pledged $1 million to support Trump’s inaugural events.