Trump Tweet About ‘Mutiny’ During Coronavirus Pandemic Causes Panic
Nicholas Kamm/Getty Images
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) has pushed back on President Donald Trump’s false claims that as president, his “authority is total,” which prompted Trump to compare the Democratic Governors to the mutineers in the film Mutiny on the Bounty in a Tuesday tweet.
The Twitter post caused panic, as Trump, therefore, would also be comparing himself to Royal Navy administrator Captain Bligh as he leads the U.S. amid the coronavirus pandemic. Bligh is generally perceived as the villain of the story and was depicted as abusive and power-hungry.
After he expressed that Mutiny on the Bounty is one of his “all time favorite movies,” Trump wrote, “A good old fashioned mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch, especially when the mutineers need so much from the Captain. Too easy!”
Tell the Democrat Governors that “Mutiny On The Bounty” was one of my all time favorite movies. A good old fashioned mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch, especially when the mutineers need so much from the Captain. Too easy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2020
The tweet is particularly concerning, as governors currently need federal support, such as help obtaining ventilators and PPE, as they work to keep their states safe amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Many public figures were shocked by the president’s comparison, and have since taken to Twitter to express their anger and confusion, reminding Trump of Captain Bligh’s role in history:
You do know how Captain Bligh was regarded in history right? He was viewed as an abusive unhinged power mad person.
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) April 14, 2020
What does this mean https://t.co/2oCpFvKrU3
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) April 14, 2020
You’re threatening the lives of governors. You need to be immediately removed from office, and possibly institutionalized.
— Quarantined William LeGate (@williamlegate) April 14, 2020
Remember when GOP states refused to fund Medicaid in Obamacare?
Mutiny?
Or when several GOP states sued to completely destroy Obamacare?
Mutiny? #DictatorTrump
— Michelangelo Signorile, subscribe to my newsletter (@MSignorile) April 14, 2020
Mutiny on the Bounty was about the ruthless, unjust, tyrannical Captain Bligh of the HMS Bounty who shackled his own crew and tortured so many of his own men that they mutinied against him. It’s fascinating that Trump sees himself as Captain Bligh. It’s quite terrifying as well.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) April 14, 2020
Man, you sure are an idiot.
The “mutineers” know they aren’t getting jack shit from you.
That’s why they are working together instead of relying on you, you shambolic chode.
Resign, moron.#KingTrump #dictatortrump #tuesdaythoughts pic.twitter.com/51sQqXk39T
— Holly Figueroa O’Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) April 14, 2020
Wait. Is federalism now a “mutiny”? Or is this just confused nonsense? https://t.co/aH5xX9WDlK
— David French (@DavidAFrench) April 14, 2020
Interesting that you would identify with the brutal Captain Bligh. You might also enjoy the Caine Mutiny- as you share some qualities of Captain Queeg.
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) April 14, 2020
when someone tells you they are Captain Bligh, believe them
— Extremely Socially Distant Tom Tomorrow (@tomtomorrow) April 14, 2020
AFI ranks Captain Bligh the 19th biggest movie villain of the century, just in between the shark from Jaws and the dude who shoots Bambi’s mom pic.twitter.com/gSrrPmMmU4
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) April 14, 2020
.@realDonaldTrump
So your casting yourself as Captain Bligh? Ok. Cool.
Who’s Fletcher Christian, @NYGovCuomo? @GavinNewsom?
As a director, I love that! You’re a craven tyrant with a huge pole up your arse & one of these guys is the hero who ends up in Tahiti with a beauty. Sick! https://t.co/gyxq4Kk2ep— Ken Olin (@kenolin1) April 14, 2020
There’s an argument gaining currency that American federalism has proven its worth in the pandemic but I find it hard to believe when the president is comparing himself to Captain Bligh and governors to mutineers. Also threatening to withhold medical supplies. https://t.co/DYLDePVW2U
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) April 14, 2020
Trump apparently has not watched “Mutiny on the Bounty” to the end, and does not know what happened later on Pitcairn.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) April 14, 2020
Trump just tweeted that one of his favorite movies is ‘Mutiny on the Bounty.’ Perhaps he’s confusing that with ‘The Caine Mutiny’
— David Lazarus (@Davidlaz) April 14, 2020
Guessing someone has never watched “Mutiny on the Bounty.” Or maybe he just relates to a cruel and tyrannical captain who wants to exact revenge on anyone who doesn’t kowtow to him?
As this piece points out:https://t.co/BFgD66VKdp— Mónica Rhor (@monicarhor) April 14, 2020
Donny doesn’t realize that in his “favorite” movie “The Mutiny On The Bounty” that things didn’t really go well for Capt Bligh. Is there a boat we can put Trump and 18 of his cult members on where he can try to navigate them to safety? That would be a great reality show.
— Adam Dorn aka Mocean Worker. (@moceanworker) April 14, 2020
