Donald Trump has defended his tweets as being, not Presidential, but “modern-day Presidential.” However, another tweet from the President of the United States has his social media following questioning his Twitter use.
Specifically, Trump has shared a GIF edited to show him walking up to CNN (a person with the CNN logo covering their face), grabbing the representation of the news network, and throwing it to the ground before pummelling it with punches. Trump then walks away, leaving the beaten symbol lying on the ground.
This follows less than a full day after Donald Trump tweeted that he was changing CNN’s name to “Fraud News CNN” and declared his social media use “modern day Presidential.”
When CNN’s Senior White House Correspondent, Jim Acosta, tried to respond to the post with humor, saying, “Isn’t pro wrestling fake?” Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, responded to reiterate the claim that news coverage on CNN is fake.
Other social media users piled on with additional GIFs and memes placing President Trump in the wrestling ring, but with an outcome less flattering than Trump’s own GIF tweet. Many joined the conversation to tell Trump their views about whether wrestling memes were an appropriate way for a U.S. President to comport himself.
Donald Trump’s initial tweet:
#FraudNewsCNN #FNN pic.twitter.com/WYUnHjjUjg
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2017
CNN’s Jim Acosta was one of the many who responded, hinting that there was an irony in Trump’s choice of GIF.
Isn’t pro wrestling fake?
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) July 2, 2017
Donald Trump Jr. responded quickly to deflect the point.
Yes, just like your coverage. https://t.co/ZLmiTVpDce
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 2, 2017
Tech executive Rob Szczerba also weighed in, saying that this was the expected result of placing a reality star in the White House.
Well, technically, this is what you get when you vote for a Reality TV star to be President. No one should be surprised.
— Rob Szczerba ?? (@RJSzczerba) July 2, 2017
Mike Flacy, contributing editor for Digital Trends, compared Donald Trump’s social media activity to other achievements by Presidents in U.S. history.
On this day in 1862, President Lincoln signs act granting land for state agricultural colleges.
— Mike Flacy (@mikeflacy) July 2, 2017
On this day in 2017, President Donald Trump posts a meme about wrestling and CNN on Twitter.
— Mike Flacy (@mikeflacy) July 2, 2017
Happy Toast shared their own wrestling GIF, of Trump being knocked down and kicked out of the ring.
LLLLLLLLLLLET’S GET READY TO RUUUUUMMMMBBBBLLLLLLE! #Trump @CNN #Wrestling pic.twitter.com/4Og6RmQgJ0
— HappyToast? (@IamHappyToast) July 2, 2017
Donald Trump also retweeted the GIF with his official @POTUS Twitter handle.
Later, Trump returned to social media to share the meme again, this time to his Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump/posts/10159412759295725
On Saturday, Trump tweeted about CNN, declaring that he would change the name to “Fraud News CNN.”
I am thinking about changing the name #FakeNews CNN to #FraudNewsCNN !
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2017
The tweet with the wrestling meme, incidentally, references a hashtag of “FNN,” as well as “FraudNewsCNN.” Trump did not elaborate on what “FNN” stood for, since “Fraud News CNN” would presumably be abbreviated as “FNC.”
When called out for the posts about CNN, as well as those insulting MSNBC hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, Trump issued another tweeted statement, responding to all who told him this was not Presidential behavior.
My use of social media is not Presidential – it’s MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL. Make America Great Again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2017
The Trump tweet about the MSNBC hosts came Saturday morning and called them “crazy” and “dumb as a rock.”
Crazy Joe Scarborough and dumb as a rock Mika are not bad people, but their low rated show is dominated by their NBC bosses. Too bad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2017
The GIF has received thousands of shares from Donald Trump’s Facebook page, and over 100 thousand retweets on Twitter, so if he intended to grab attention, POTUS definitely did so successfully.
[Featured Image by Olivier Douliery-Pool via Getty Images]
