Trump Tweeted Support For The Women's Marches. It Backfired.
President Donald Trump addressed the Women’s Marches last year by suggesting that the hundreds of thousands of people who turned out should have expressed their feelings toward him at the ballot box.
“Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn’t these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly,” he tweeted, shortly before claiming to “respect the rights of people to express their views.”
This year, he tried a different, more creative approach: attempting to take ownership of the event to push his own agenda.
“Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for Women to March,” Trump wrote Saturday.
He then urged people to “[g]et out there now to celebrate the historic milestones” he said his administration had achieved, appearing to ignore that the marches largely exist to protest him, his presidency, his rhetoric toward women and his stances on a number of other issues.
Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018
Observers on Twitter were quick to jump in.
“Who wants to tell him?” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) responded wryly.
Who wants to tell him? https://t.co/ZIWZvVkMCO
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) January 20, 2018
Anyone want to inform the stable genius that the #WomensMarch2018 is against him, not for him? 🤔 https://t.co/lMe03ukk7z
— Matt Stout (@MattStout07) January 20, 2018
Some skewered the concept of a pro-Trump Women’s March.
“All those women, marching proudly for the economic success of the Trump administration,” comedian Cody Johnson joked.
All those women, marching proudly for the economic success of the Trump Administration. https://t.co/SG9GpGtktS
— Cody Johnston (@drmistercody) January 20, 2018
I KNEW the women's march was really about men's success all along. Thanks for clarifying. https://t.co/1Jr846MSxs
— Layne (@laynemorgan) January 20, 2018
Others saw the message as being deliberately provocative to belittle the vast movement against him.
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Nothing but respect for MY president's trolling skills. https://t.co/sFB0GhzK9i
— Ashley Rae (@Communism_Kills) January 20, 2018
not the first time an insecure man mocked a woman because he felt emasculated by her independence. https://t.co/wxWhms7H9m
— Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) January 20, 2018
Still others relished the idea of Trump watching the Women’s Marches ― chock-full of anti-Trump signs ― on TV.
Playing it this way would actually be sort of funny if we didn't all know the televised images—reminders of his Inauguration humiliations— are absolutely infuriating Trump, all while he's sitting around stewing over missing his big party. https://t.co/zWka6wbquI
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) January 20, 2018
🙄We know Trump is not much of a reader but he really should look closer at those signs. ♀️#WomensMarch2018 #TrumpShutdown https://t.co/HZ0Ko0TqUQ
— Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) January 20, 2018
And some got right to the point.
Guess what, dirtbag? The Women's March is going to walk right over you. https://t.co/GSymtG2l9a
— Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) January 20, 2018
We're literally marching because we hate you. https://t.co/ZhsoLSbjqL
— Marissa Fullford (@theEmptyChevy) January 20, 2018
Marches in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and other cities and towns around the country drew hundreds of thousands of marchers, combined, on the anniversary of Trump’s inauguration. Another event, slated for Sunday, will include a voter registration drive and rally in Las Vegas.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.