Michael Moore slams Trump for Twitter attack on his Broadway show

The documentarian Michael Moore has launched into a stinging attack on Donald Trump, after the president tweeted incorrect statements about his one-man show Terms of My Surrender. The show, which closed last week after a limited 12-week run on Broadway, saw the Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine director deliver personal anecdotes and stories, political insight and rotating discussion panels.

On Saturday, Trump celebrated the closure of Moore's show, unaware that it was always intended to run for a limited engagement. Conceding that his tweet was "not at all presidential," Trump went on to say: "I must point out that the Sloppy Michael Moore Show on Broadway was a TOTAL BOMB and was forced to close. Sad!"

Moore immediately shot back, admonishing the president for creating a distraction as he awaits news of the first criminal charges to be brought in Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, which are expected to be announced today.

"What's it like to be Donald Trump today," Moore asked, "just hours away from the first of many criminal indictments that could send friends and family to jail?"

Moore previously tweeted: "You must have my smash hit of a Broadway show confused with your presidency – which IS a total bomb and WILL indeed close early."

He has since gone on to mock Trump's comments by joking that his sold-out shows are full of actors pretending to be audience members, and that outlets reporting on the show's success are "fake news". He has also posted a photograph in which he is seen posing with a cheery Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.

In a longer Facebook message, Moore said that his show had for much of its run been the most successful non-musical play on Broadway, reportedly grossing $4.2 million. He also claimed he had been asked to extend the run for an additional two weeks, but had conflicting commitments with a forthcoming TV series he is scheduled to host. He plans to take Terms of My Surrender on tour in 2018.

"Remember," Moore concluded, "Trump is not the one who's easily distracted. He's the one holding the shiny keys, trying to distract us. Tweeting about me being on Broadway or other things that have nothing to do with getting the power turned back on in Puerto Rico is his strategy to distract the public from his absolute total failure to simply do his f------ job."

Alongside his political office, Donald Trump has managed to carve out a minor career in theatre criticism, tweeting last November that the blockbuster musical Hamilton was "highly overrated" with "terrible" stars.