Critics Mock Trump For Choking On 'Totalitarianism' In Mount Rushmore Diatribe
Of all the words President Donald Trump could have flubbed in his harangue railing against “far-left fascism” at Mount Rushmore, “totalitarianism” was the perfect stumble, critics jabbed on Twitter Saturday.
Trump, as he does when he’s muddled about pronunciation, seemed to fade out mid-word in his speech Friday evening, but appeared to say something like “toe-tally-tario-tism.” (He also mispronounced “Ulysses S. Grant” as “Ulysse-us.”)
Trump slashed anti-racism protests across the nation, characterizing activists as a “violent” mob ― an inaccurate characterization of the mostly peaceful demonstrations ― and vowing to take action against them, In the process he echoed words used by totalitarian regimes against protesters, making it all-the-more rich that he mispronounced totalitarianism.
The Lincoln Project, created by never-Trump Republicans who have emerged as among his wittiest and sharp-edged critics, played a clip of the president mangling the word — then followed up with a photo of him saluting a military official of North Korea.
We must stop the spread of pic.twitter.com/iy2XDqVw35
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 4, 2020
Remember when Donald Trump saluted a member of an enemy, totalitarian regime?
Happy 4th of July! pic.twitter.com/CyQJRo6Y94— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 4, 2020
Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, also noted the word stumble. Even more troubling, he emphasized, is that “Trump has no idea what words like fascism and totalitarianism mean.”
He called Trump’s address “perhaps the most un-American speech ever delivered by an American president & on the July 4th weekend no less.” McFaul said his “only solace” is that the “degree of craziness” of the speech is “probably best explained by Trump’s current level of desperation.”
Trump has no idea what words like fascism and totalitarianism mean. To those who wrote this speech & those senior WH officials who approved this speech, shame on you. Perhaps the most un-American speech ever delivered by an American president & on the July 4th weekend no less. https://t.co/7N6x4lYi0O
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 4, 2020
It was off to the races for the rest of critics on Twitter.
He basically called everyone that doesn’t support him unAmerican and traitorous. He used OUR Independence Day to tell a majority of our country that we are not welcome here in America. If we don’t love him, we don’t love our country in his mind “L’Etats, c’est moi.”
— MΞGAN KΞLLΞY HALL (@MeganKelleyHall) July 4, 2020
Why do we hear the loudest yelps of "totalitarianism" from the people who ordered cops & military to shoot peaceful protesters with tear gas & rubber bullets for a photo op?
You know what's totalitarianism? Cops with armored personnel carriers shooting protesters. pic.twitter.com/O3IpQRLc60— Diogenes of Baizuo (@DiogenesLamp0) July 3, 2020
Preshident Trup ish non compish mental.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) July 4, 2020
Totalitarianism is a big word - for a small person.... pic.twitter.com/X5qHrTVvc5
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) July 4, 2020
Remember when Donald Trump bowed down before the leader of an enemy, totalitarian regime - in front of the whole world?
Happy 4th of July! pic.twitter.com/AKDBiqZL1F— Operative_X (@OperativeXRay) July 4, 2020
Trump just promised that no one will ever desecrate Mt Rushmore, while standing in front of Mt Rushmore.
I think you see the problem there.— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 4, 2020
Trump just tried to say “totalitarianism.” It didn’t go well.
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) July 4, 2020
Some also took note that Trump — who is fond of dictating what people do during the national anthem — should not have saluted because he is not a military veteran. He obtained five draft deferments, including one for bone spurs, during the Vietnam War. Members of the military and veterans salute; the proper etiquette for civilians is to hold their right hand over their heart during the anthem.
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
Can someone explain to @realDonaldTrump that as a civilian, non-veteran, he should have his hand over his heart during the national anthem? pic.twitter.com/2NkzCdqUxn
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 4, 2020
For those of you who are finding this a difficult concept, see 36 USC § 301.
The president is a civilian and is not a veteran.
Non-veteran civilians (such as Donald Trump) are supposed to place the right hand over the heart during the national anthem. https://t.co/vEmn1tyNTG— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 4, 2020
This is what you do when you don't have a heart
— Jackie (@JackieJoyxoxo) July 4, 2020
For something completely different, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, issued his own message for July Fourth, urging everyone to “fight every day to make sure” that the American Dream is “as true for a Black child born in Minneapolis as it was for a white bodybuilder born in Austria.”
It was retweeted by The Lincoln Project.
Happy birthday, America. Thank you for letting me live the American Dream. We must fight every day to make sure that dream is as true for a Black child born in Minneapolis as it was for a white bodybuilder born in Austria. via @attn pic.twitter.com/rM95vb3twC
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) July 4, 2020
Also on HuffPost
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.