The Washington Post published a lengthy feature today on President Donald Trump‘s son, Donald Trump Jr., and his rising online cred in the #MAGA and #KAG2020 crowd. And it’s chockfull of the delightful anecdotes and details the internet has grown to love about the president’s large adult son.
Like this:
Trump and Trump Jr. speak infrequently, according to people close to both men. Trump has long doubted whether his son could live up to his expectations. Ivana Trump recalls in her 2017 memoir that when she suggested naming their son Donald Jr., Trump told her, “You can’t do that! What if he’s a loser?”
What if, indeed.
Interestingly, he was called a loser online last week, for sharing a doctored poll of his father’s approval rating.
This is what LOSERS do.
— Danielle Martenne #FBR 🇺🇸🌊❄️🌊🇺🇸 (@Vote_Dems_USA) August 10, 2018
“Donald Trump Jr. shared a doctored image that makes his father’s Gallup presidential approval rating look 10 points higher than it actually is”https://t.co/TF1luxsBvP
Also in the article was a statement from the president, given to the Post, where Trump distances himself from his son’s infamous Russia-Trump Tower meeting. After the meeting, where Russian nationals offered dirt on then-candidate Hillary Clinton, Trump Jr. spoke on the phone with a blocked number, which many presumed to be his father.
But the president seemed to deny that.
“Don has received notoriety for a brief meeting, that many politicians would have taken, but most importantly, and to the best of my knowledge, nothing happened after the meeting concluded,” Trump said.
That statement, people thought, had clearly been through the legal wringer.
Don’t look now, but Trump’s rhetoric on collusion has shifted. In new statement, Trump claims “to the best of my knowledge” nothing happened after Trump Tower meeting. Former WH counsel tells me this is significant. “Statement was clearly lawyered”:… https://t.co/wpiy5va8Jn
— 🌻🇺🇦Fight Against Fake News And Propagandist 🌐 (@FightFakeNews4) August 13, 2018
Lawyered up statement from daddy: “Don has received notoriety for a brief meeting, that many politicians would have taken, but most importantly, and to the best of my knowledge, nothing happened after the meeting concluded,” Trump said. https://t.co/yi7rUjF5ma
— Millard Fillmore (@MillardFillmor1) August 12, 2018
Trump Sr subtly distances himself from Jr: “Don has received notoriety for a brief meeting, that many politicians would have taken, but most importantly, ** and to the best of my knowledge, ** nothing happened after the meeting concluded.” https://t.co/drM0xX2nd2
— Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@MaxBoot) August 13, 2018
Trump Jr. is on the receiving end of this coverage as he’s become a sought-after campaigner, speaking at events with candidates for the upcoming midterms. The Post notes he’s developed something of a rock star identity among the MAGA crowd.
In many ways, Trump Jr. carries the spirit of his father’s “Make America Great Again” movement. Like the president, he uses social media to fan conspiracy theories, air grievances and troll adversaries. He busts through boundaries of political correctness and relishes public feuds, especially with those he deems liberal elites.
“Don is a chip off the old block,” said Cliff Sims, a former White House and Trump campaign staffer. “He’s a savage on Twitter and a force of nature on the stump.”
That wasn’t well received by the anti-Trump crowd online.
Uday is highly controversial, personally tortures Kurds and captured Iranians, spends too much of the regime’s money on cocaine and hookers, and earned the “ace of hearts” spot in the Iraqi Most Wanted deck of cards. But among the Hussein base, he’s still a Baathist superstar. https://t.co/dL1Y1rRZBy
— Burt Likko (@burtlikko) August 13, 2018
he’s fredo you morons https://t.co/JU2pQwexTr
— catturd2.bsky.social (@thetomzone) August 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/darrenhusted/status/1028955456411246599
He worked with Russians to undermine our democracy – but whatever. https://t.co/3zePQD6ZK8
— tracy g (@tracy_tgal63) August 13, 2018
Then there was this insightful take.
https://twitter.com/CillizzaCNN/status/1028821740909223936
Which led to a prison joke or two.
Don Jr for Prison Snitch 2020 https://t.co/CO6fjVeRm7
— Marie Connor (@thistallawkgirl) August 13, 2018
Yeah, President of the prison softball league. https://t.co/fYYRlqoumw
— Aaron (@TheSarcasmShow) August 13, 2018
Get hyped.
