White House Posts Propaganda Video of Trump’s Church Photo Op and Twitter Tears it to Pieces
The official White House Twitter account posted an absurd propaganda video of Trump’s teargas-enabled church photo op, and Twitter blue checks called it out for the simpering stunt it was.
On Monday, police and National Guard troops descended on peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park in order to clear the way for Trump to stroll over to St. John’s Episcopal Church so he could pose with a Bible like it was some award from a group he’d never heard of but was still willing to accept an award from because he likes awards.
Shortly after midnight, The White House posted a surreal propaganda video of the event that featured an inspirational musical score beneath footage of Trump’s stunt, and quicker than you can say “Two Coronthians,” prominent Twitter users took it apart.
Meena Harris, niece of Senator and VP short-lister Kamala Harris, helpfully added some visual context to the video, one of several users with helpful hints:
Fixed it pic.twitter.com/1kSwl40uy1
— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) June 2, 2020
I knew somebody was gonna do this ??? thank you for your service
— Eric Haywood (@EricHaywood) June 2, 2020
Hey @WhiteHouse FTFY ? https://t.co/eRZ2oPkEQ7 pic.twitter.com/0WwFRbvkqM
— Brandon Hunt (@mediavandal) June 2, 2020
That violent context was a theme among the responses, as well as the church’s own disgust at the stunt.
The Bishop whose church you used without permission for this campaign ad has denounced this, especially Trump’s violently clearing a park full of peaceful protesters and reports. She says: “In no way do we support the President’s incendiary response to a wounded, grieving nation”
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) June 2, 2020
Was this really worth tear gassing church clergy? https://t.co/pzH9VCO5LD
— Kim Horcher (@kimscorcher) June 2, 2020
weird that they didn’t include the footage of tear-gassing peaceful protesters out of the park first https://t.co/seFpIDsVUQ
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) June 2, 2020
You teargassed priests to make a bad campaign ad?
— Dave Hogg (@stareagle) June 2, 2020
The call-outs were international as well.
La version officielle.
Avec la musique.
Et sans les tirs de gaz lacrymogènes. https://t.co/j7A2LcgNus— Jérôme Cartillier (@jcartillier) June 2, 2020
Comparisons were made.
— David Fucillo (@davidfucillo) June 2, 2020
The official @WhiteHouse account: https://t.co/mII0xEtv9m
— Jelmer Evers (@jelmerevers) June 2, 2020
You’re the KAREN of all Presidents, you’re the stupidest, most out of touch leader of all time. You’ve literally shit on your citizens with no exit plan for when your reign of terror eventually ends. pic.twitter.com/BaUZ6iKPmT
— Leigh Van Bryan (@LeighBryan) June 2, 2020
Leni Riefenstahl is applauding in Hell.
— ???? ???????? (@natecochrane) June 2, 2020
Antichrist pic.twitter.com/tlfXen9cao
— Martha Kelly (@MarthaKelly3) June 2, 2020
The Antichrist is bad, but that Karen thing really had to sting.
There was plenty of disgust and mockery to go around.
Shame on you
— John Hodgman (@hodgman) June 2, 2020
Quite apart from the whole gassing-people-to-clear-them-out-the-way thing, I have no idea what message this video is attempting to convey. That Trump can walk and bounce a Bible up and down like he’s trying to estimate its weight? https://t.co/65sfuFCI8B
— David Meyer (@superglaze) June 2, 2020
This sure feels like a reelection ad to me. Should our police be ordered to use tear gas against peaceful protestors, violating their 1st amendment rights, to help make campaign ads? Something just doesn’t feel right here. Comments? https://t.co/vHpvgc6p3L
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) June 2, 2020
He’s still not wearing a mask. https://t.co/olUEI8fijm
— Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) June 2, 2020
Even without the context, this is the most absurd thing I’ve ever seen. This would’ve gotten cut from Veep. https://t.co/7HzhDYP7Qc
— Tommy X-TrumpIsARacist-opher (@tommyxtopher) June 2, 2020
Holy shit.
Trump made a 30 second ad that leaves out the part where he used the US military to shoot Americans peacefully demonstrating outside the White House. https://t.co/n98UPi6RM1
— Zac Petkanas (@Zac_Petkanas) June 2, 2020
Editing out the tear gassing and brutality to prove you do your 10,000 steps https://t.co/Eq17Dod26a
— Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) June 2, 2020
This is one of the worst nights for our country that any of us has ever known. Stories later today will be grim. We’re all complicit. But cowardly, divisive leadership in this WH is where the buck stops. See him. This bankrupt & criminal failure of a pissant half man. This fraud. https://t.co/cPBx8Gqgxo
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) June 2, 2020
Could we please ask every single administration official forced to make this walk with @realDonaldTrump if they believed this was ag good idea? If they felt foolish? If any of them tried to explain, in advance, how small this would look to so many Americans? https://t.co/ZNkWCW6bou
— Drew Griffin (@DrewGriffinCNN) June 2, 2020
Watch the clip above via The White House and Teargas.
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
