Tweets are forever, no matter how far down they may be buried on your profile. Donald Trump has many tweets that have not aged well. Like a lot. By this I mean… some are directly contradictory to what he stands by today as President. These tweets are not from too long ago and it’s interesting to discover how quickly Trump’s opinions changed going into his presidency. Other tweets are purely comical as he tries to offer advice to former president, Barack Obama. SPOILER: Trump did not take his own advice. Though there are many tweets that prove his hypocrisy and delusion, here are five key examples.
1.
Tweet via Donald J. Trump
This tweet has become so ironic given the proposition that Trump has brought forth because of recent events. Activists have begun to advocate for stricter gun control in response to the recent deadly shooting in Parkland, Florida. Because Trump is president, he was expected to give a statement regarding what he will do to protect Americans in schools across the country. His proposed solution was to arm teachers and coaches on school campuses to prevent school shootings. There are many flaws in this plan, flaws that we cannot risk testing out. Considering recent events such as the Georgia teacher firing a gun on campus, we should not be supplying weapons. In Florida, Trump held a session with the survivors of the Parkland shooting and stated, “if you had a teacher who is adept at firearms it could very well end the attack very quickly.” This statement is completely hypocritical to his tweet from 2016. It demonstrates Trump professing a false confidence to the American people, for he himself is not considering that the addition of guns on campus only adds more risk and opportunity for more tragedies.
2.
Tweet via Donald J. Trump
Has Trump done enough for hurricane relief himself? Following Hurricane Maria, Trump has faced a great deal of criticism regarding his response to the natural disaster. Though Puerto Rico does not have a star on the American flag, it is no less important than any other state. Over three million US citizens inhabit the land and they are entitled to the same protection and aid that the President supplies to the rest of the country. If this is true, why did it take over six months for power to be restored to only part of the island? For months, over half of Puerto Rico was out of power and the island looked to the President for assistance to no avail. Puerto Rico is still in a humanitarian crisis as their electricity is undependable and goes in and out daily. Today, residents are attempting to rebuild their lives in the shambles that was once their home. There is no excuse as to why Puerto Rico is still in this state when we have a President who is fully capable of using his resources to restore it back to its stable state.
3.
Tweet via Donald J. Trump
25% of Trump’s presidency has been spent on a golf course. Not only does this add up to over 101 days, but the days golfed have been very controversial. He golfed amid funerals for the victims of the Parkland shooting, days following the Las Vegas shooting, and while he should have been providing relief for victims of Hurricane Maria. PolitiFact reports that as of Jan. 19, 2018, Trump has golfed 44 rounds, while around this time in his presidency, Obama golfed 29 rounds. Rather than providing aid and support for the people of the country he is representing, Trump spends it at golf courses across the country. Frankly Mr. President, I believe you may not be any better than Carter.
4.
Tweet via Donald J. Trump
There is a divide between sports and political figures’ power. Many would agree with that statement— Donald Trump even thought so too at one point. Since this tweet in 2013, he has gone back on his own advice. Trump had taken a heavy stand against players kneeling during the national anthem. Beginning with Colin Kaepernick’s initial kneel in September of 2016, additional players have followed suit as they kneel in protest of racial inequality and police brutality. President Trump basically blew up in flames when players began to kneel and even stated that the “NFL should have suspended Colin Kaepernick for kneeling.” Donald Trump is the President of the United States and should not be demanding their removal because they expressed their first amendment right: freedom of speech. Ultimately, the actions taken by the NFL with its players is irrelevant to the responsibilities of the President. Trump should take his own advice and enjoy the game, as the NFL will take care of itself.
5.
Tweet via Donald J. Trump
This one speaks for itself. It is amusing to fathom that Trump constructed this tweet believing that he alone fits all the qualities of being the savior to the American people. Trump continuously tweets outlandish things that really make you check to see if it is coming from his official account or a parody account made by some troll. Sadly, it always ends up being real. It is hard to have a man whose job description characterizes him as being the representative of your country when you do not share any common ground. For some, they are more frightened than humored by his actions because the changes affect their lives in detrimental ways. When DACA was discontinued, many were scared for what their future held because their possibility of staying in the U.S. was now unsure. We are great leaders. We are not a laughing stock to the entire world. We represent America, not some man who insists on ending every tweet with a one word sentence.