After Trump victory, ‘not my president’ becomes liberal rallying cry

Michael Walsh
·Reporter

The election of Donald Trump as president of the United States ignited angry protests from left-leaning Americans online and elsewhere — with the phrase “not my president” echoing throughout.

Many liberal and moderate Americans, who had joyfully anticipated Hillary Clinton shattering the glass ceiling as the first woman president, took to Twitter to lament that the nation elected a man they consider to be singularly unsuited for the role of commander in chief.

They used the hashtag #notmypresident to suggest that the slew of Trump’s controversial statements, beliefs and actions were not merely unbecoming but also an outrage to the office. The president-elect has been accused of xenophobia, racism, Islamophobia and misogyny repeatedly throughout his campaign. A common theme among people using the hashtag was that Trump represents hate to them.

Others used a similar hashtag: #HesNotMyPresident.

The Los Angeles Times reported that there were protests at college campuses and on streets across California. At UC Santa Barbara, for instance, hundreds of students gathered to disavow the president-elect, and some shouted, “Not my president. Not my president,” according to the paper.

As the hashtag went viral, Trump, who has long been an avid Twitter user, sent out his first tweet as president-elect and updated his bio on the platform to “President-elect of the United States.”

Some condemned the hashtag as hypocritical. They found it ironic that many Democrats were outraged when Trump questioned whether Barack Obama was a U.S. citizen and therefore eligible to be president, only to later to say that Trump does not represent them despite having won the election.

Trump’s victory over his highly favored rival came as a shock to much of the United States and throughout the world. Heading into the election, polls had been favoring the former secretary of state.

During his victory speech in New York City, Trump, a former reality television star, vowed to rebuild U.S. infrastructure and revitalize the economy. But his various radical policy proposals on the campaign trail and lack of experience in elected office sets the nation on an uncertain course.

_____

Related slideshows:

Protests after Donald Trump’s victory >>>

Newspapers around the world react to Donald Trump’s victory >>>

Tears and cheers as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton supporters clash at the White House >>>

World reaction to Trump’s stunning victory >>>

Trump defeats Clinton in 2016 election >>>

Election Night in America! >>>

Americans go to the polls to elect the 45th president >>>

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump hold final rallies on Election Day eve >>>

Donald Trump’s America, Part 2 >>>

Donald Trump inspires his own brand of fashion on the campaign trail >>>

Face-off: Documenting the expressive battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump >>>