Left-wing economist Paul Krugman, a frequent New York Times columnist, suggested on Friday afternoon that President-Elect Donald Trump has “incentives” to start a war or hope for a 9/11-type event to lift his presidency.

In but a few characters, Krugman, a frequent user of Twitter, said George W. Bush came into office with a taint of illegitimacy in 2001, as Trump will in 2017.

“There was (rightly) a cloud of illegitimacy over Bush, dispelled (wrongly) by 9/11. Creates some interesting incentives for Trump.”

Presumably, he meant Bush, in 2000, lost the national popular vote, which liberals hold in far more regard than the Constitution does. The nation was raw and Bush was seen as illegitimate by some — Krugman is right about that.

Krugman posits that was solved by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Bush was seen immediately as a strong leader and his approval ratings soon approached 90 percent.

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Krugman says Trump likely knows that. But Krugman then floated an ugly theory.

“Thought: There was (rightly) a cloud of illegitimacy over Bush, dispelled (wrongly) by 9/11. Creates some interesting incentives for Trump,” Krugman tweeted Friday.

In one quick tweet, Krugman implied Trump either wants war, will provoke war — or Trump will arrange a “false flag” operation against his own country.

While Krugman is not likely a 9/11 “truther,” his reckless tweet is open to such interpretation. Some noted he was suggesting Trump might consider a false flag attack — a staged and phony attack to achieve political goals — on his own nation.

Other Twitter users soon took note of Krugman’s tweet, and let him know he crossed a line.

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Some compared him to Newsweek reporter Kurt Eichenwald, who is perhaps the most strident and vicious anti-Trump journalist on Twitter.

Eichenwald melted down on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show Thursday, and said he had a secret message from the CIA for Trump.

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Eichenwald also said on Fox News, and later on Twitter, without a shred of evidence, that Trump used speed — amphetamine derivatives — in the 1980s. Eichenwald deleted many of his post-interview tweets, and announced on Friday he would be taking time off from Twitter.

Perhaps Krugman should take note, and note the incentives of resting the mind before popping off.