Donald Trump participated in just one event per day on average throughout January, according to his public schedule, amid mounting accusations he is not working hard enough as US president.

So far this week, Mr Trump’s calendar showed he took part in one intelligence briefing, a lunch with vice-president Mike Pence, and a private Trump campaign fundraiser at his own Washington hotel.

That followed a week in which four days were made up of no more than a single lunch with Mr Pence and another intelligence briefing.

He has also failed to make any form of public appearance since last Friday, although he has sent more than 45 tweets.

Overall, Mr Trump’s public schedule showed a total of 32 events in the 31 days throughout January – not including his daily intelligence briefings, personal fundraisers or private lunches. That compares with 39 events he had on his schedule through January 2018.

An ex-staffer on Capitol Hill tweeted: “Has anyone else noticed Donald Trump has stopped working? For weeks, he’s had little or nothing on his schedule.”

Former US ambassador to Russia Dan Shapiro suggested the president “sitting around watching Fox News and hate-tweeting all day” was better than “doing serious work to advance a terrible agenda”.

Last year it was reported the president was often beginning his official day only by 11am, in order to give him more time to watch TV, make phone calls and send tweets in what White House officials dubbed “executive time”.

Mr Trump regularly boasted about his work ethic, casting his Democratic election opponent Hillary Clinton as someone who would struggle to keep up with the job’s demands. “I will be your champion and I will work hard to be your champion,” he told a rally in 2016. He also told a convention that as president he would work so hard, “I wouldn’t leave the White House”.

© Independent News Service

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