Donald Trump did not get a mandate, and therefore did not deserve a honeymoon. The latest evidence that he isn’t getting one started rolling in on Tuesday night. A number of Trump’s most loyal supporters had a brainstrorm–why not have his supporters use the hashtag “#ThankYouTrump” to thank Trump for how far he’s already gone in making America great again? Well, so far it’s backfired in lovely fashion. Trump’s many opponents have used it as a convenient way to mock and pillory the Donald.
The call to action started lighting up Trumpistas’ phones sometime on Monday morning.
✨??✨YUGE #TwitterRally TONIGHT 6-7pmET 1/24/17
Get Tweets Ready!! ????EVERY?? #ThankYouTrump
⚡️WILL Light Up #Twitter #RedNationRising ?? pic.twitter.com/9rtAtYZ2ej— ????LindaPJ ??? #KAG #MAGA (@PJStrikeForce) January 24, 2017
Believe it or not, this was not a White House production–at least, as near as can be determined. Granted, it may have sounded a lot like Trump’s self-aggrandizing “Thank You Tour” after the election. But in the absence of something we haven’t heard or seen, it looks like the message was received in red America when Trump declared the day of his inauguration to be a “National Day of Patriotic Devotion.” What better way to show your patriotic devotion by publicly thanking the Dear Leader?
It started out as planned.
?? #thankyoutrump ??
They were all against him. America loving patriots were with him! WE'RE STILL WITH HIM! WE WON!
#AmericaFirst #MAGA pic.twitter.com/MOnMf5E7u2
— Lori Hendry (@Lrihendry) January 24, 2017
???? #AmericaFirst
"We need a fully functioning govt – please go ahead & approve, confirm our nominees." ~ @KellyannePolls#ThankYouTrump pic.twitter.com/yDYtQFhupf
— BRIAN FRASER (@bfraser747) January 25, 2017
At least one Twitter user even went as far as to change his display name out of patriotic devotion to the Donald.
When weight-loss guru and Trump critic Tony Posnanski spotted it, he decided to express his gratitude to Trump. Well, sorta.
For caring about popular votes and crowd sizes more than the American people #ThankYouTrump
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 24, 2017
From that point onward, this attempt at pro-Trump astroturfing went sideways–bigly.
As Trump shuts down climate facts from the National Park Service…#thankyoutrump pic.twitter.com/Tu4s196aOr
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for freezing all regulations. Who wants educated and concerned people looking out for our health, the environment and stuff.
— Tommy Campbell (@MrTommyCampbell) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for not releasing your taxes. Because if you were: a) honest; or b) a billionaire we know you would pic.twitter.com/667Yj3pjTa
— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for making it SO clear how NOT to treat Women to any idiots who didn't know pic.twitter.com/eCEvnopm1n
— Dr Jez Phillips (@drjezphillips) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for showing our kids exactly how NOT to act if you want to be considered a DECENT human being.#IllegitimatePOTUS pic.twitter.com/l6SJGMBOUC
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for freezing funding for science. Who needs innovation anyways?
— Dr. Dianne P. ? (@dianne727) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump
For being a great role model for our children. pic.twitter.com/NXJ9qab0jN— ?????????????♀️? #BlueWave2018 #FBR (@BadASSSery) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for warning us of the dangers of giving speeches to Goldman Sachs executives, then filling your cabinet with them. Hypocrisy.
— Tanya (@tgreene319) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for showing people that anyone truly can become president. Even a bigoted, racist, misogynistic liar.
— Just JoanG??? (@Joanieg88) January 25, 2017
? Extreme Wall Street Cabinet
❌ Healthcare at Risk for 20 million
? Millions living by oil spill risks
? Silenced science#ThankYouTrump— ♻️?? Christopher Zullo (@ChrisJZullo) January 25, 2017
America, wake up. You are now in North Korea. #ThankYouTrump https://t.co/sCNvs80JwW
— Lesley Abravanel (@lesleyabravanel) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump For proving this great American had it right #MAGA's pic.twitter.com/zG6xt6mFfj
— chris g (@crislake) January 25, 2017
By Wednesday morning, “#ThankYouTrump” was the highest-trending hashtag on Twitter. From the looks of it, most of the tweets came from people slamming him. However, Trump’s raft of immigration executive orders om Wednesday gave the Trumpistas a chance to close the gap.
#ThankyouTrump #BuildThatWall
TRUMP to Announce Ban Immigration from Syria and Six Other Muslim Countries. #MAGA
https://t.co/QYyyTOcRwv pic.twitter.com/Y8eirvEYvu— Carrie ?? Vote Red ? 2018 Midterms? (@carrieksada) January 25, 2017
Executive Order #2
Correctly Penalizes
law breaking
cities & illegal aliensThis is how WE #MAGA#ThankYouTrump#AmericaFirst #BuildTheWall pic.twitter.com/jDZY0VYtDk
— CC (@ChatByCC) January 25, 2017
But so far, the pushback from the reality-based world is still well underway.
#ThankYouTrump for making George W. Bush seem smart, Richard Nixon seem honest, & Warren G. Harding seem competent.
— Eric Wolfson (@EricWolfson) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for giving me ZERO faith in your capabilities to run this country. You have the actions of a fascist tyrant.
— Edward OZ (@itsedwardoz) January 25, 2017
#ThankYouTrump for declaring war on women simply because we SHAMED you with our numbers and right to protest. #WomensMarch #globalgagrule
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) January 25, 2017
"#ThankYouTrump for showing us less loyalty than you've shown your three wives." – Facts
— Craig Rozniecki (@CraigRozniecki) January 25, 2017
Oh, this is just lovely to watch. More proof that Trump is uniting the people–against him.
We already knew that the right is still playing catch-up in social media. But this episode proves just how big the gap still is.
(featured image courtesy Gage Skidmore, available under a Creative Commons BY-SA license)