Donald Trump Jr. is getting attention online after sharing a childhood memory. Critics and fans believe that this unintentionally revealed a more personal side of growing up as the son of a future president.
As per the Irish Star, the comments arrived during a recent media cycle where he criticised former President Joe Biden over his February 2023 visit to Ukraine. He labelled that Biden’s wartime trip underscored U.S. support for Kyiv amid Russia’s invasion. His visit to Kyiv came days before the first anniversary of the war, and the White House described it at the time as a signal of “unwavering commitment” to Ukraine’s defence.
🇺🇸 DONALD TRUMP JR: “I never knew how bad the U.S. banking system was until I became a victim.” pic.twitter.com/B3Q5bULOFy
— Coinvo (@Coinvo) February 13, 2026
While comparing Biden’s foreign travel with his father’s record, Trump Jr. defended former President Donald Trump with a childhood story. He referenced a Thanksgiving trip to Afghanistan during Trump’s presidency. “Remember when Trump visited Afghanistan on Thanksgiving? I do — because I showed up for Thanksgiving dinner and my father wasn’t there,” he said.
Trump made the unannounced visit to U.S. troops in Afghanistan in November 2019, marking his first trip to the country. The White House said at the time that the visit was kept secret for security reasons, and photos showed the president serving turkey to service members.
While his remark appeared intended to highlight his father’s dedication to troops overseas, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel seized on the line during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Kimmel suggested the anecdote sounded more somber than celebratory.
🚨 JUST IN:
🇺🇸 Donald Trump Jr. says a “perfect storm” is forming for #Bitcoin, adding: “It’s going to the moon.” 🚀
Market optimism continues to build. pic.twitter.com/jthn4dsgbY
— Xavier (@Xavierttsol) February 14, 2026
Kimmel opened with a joke, saying, “I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that wasn’t the first time that happened.” He implied that Trump Jr. may have experienced other missed holidays. He also quipped that the former president’s son was the “fraudigal son,” adding that there was likely “a lot of Don Jr. pulling on the wishbone himself.”
This clearly showed how political figures and their families often become subjects of satire. This particularly happens when personal stories intersect with campaign messaging.
The resurfaced comments also come amid renewed attention on the Trump family’s public appearances. In February 2023, Donald Trump visited East Palestine, Ohio, following a train derailment that released hazardous chemicals into the community.
During the visit, the U.S. President sought to contrast his response with that of the Biden administration. At a rally in the town, he told supporters, “We’re bringing thousands of bottles of water — Trump Water, actually.” He added, “Most of it. Some of it we had to go to a much lesser quality of water. You want to get those Trump bottles, more than anything else.”
Federal and state officials later said municipal water testing showed the supply was safe to drink. However, many residents continued to rely on bottled water.
Trump Jr.’s original comments were part of a broader critique of U.S. foreign policy and what he described as “never-ending war.” “You can’t make it up. They are literally manufacturing this thing like the rest of it. Because God knows we haven’t been in a never-ending war for a while,” he said.
Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a comparison became a social media drama grabbing criticism and attention from users online.
