Trump criticized for making Martin Luther King Jr. holiday about himself, sending pro-gun tweets
President Trump used the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday to tweet about what he personally has done for African Americans and brag about his support for gun ownership on what would have been the 91st birthday of the slain civil rights leader.
“It was exactly three years ago today, January 20, 2017, that I was sworn into office. So appropriate that today is also MLK jr DAY. African-American Unemployment is the LOWEST in the history of our Country, by far. Also, best Poverty, Youth, and Employment numbers, ever. Great!” Trump tweeted at 3 p.m.
An hour later, he tweeted his support for pro-gun advocates rallying in Richmond, Virginia.
“I will NEVER allow our great Second Amendment to go unprotected, not even a little bit!” Trump vowed.
The president’s unique way of celebrating MLK’s birthday did not go over well on Twitter.
“MLK Day is not about you,” wrote Twitter user Morten Overbye.
That sentiment was echoed by several users, including one who wrote, “Translation: ‘me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me.’”
Several social media users shared artist Watson Mere’s 2017 painting of MLK shooshing the president.
Others drew attention to the fact that black and Hispanic unemployment fell far more dramatically under the previous president.
“You’ve got to laugh when Donald Trump makes a play for the Black and Hispanic vote with employment statistics. President Obama took black unemployment from 17% to 7% and Hispanic unemployment from 13% to 5% but Donald Trump tries to fool everyone and take credit,” wrote Christopher Zullo.
Critics of the president also reminded Trump that he’d perpetuated the rumor Obama was born in Kenya, which many regarded as racist. Twitter also lit up with reminders that Trump had called for the execution of five black teens falsely convicted of attacking a white jogger in Central Park in 1989. Those men were later exonerated.
Some users attacked the president for being slow in recognizing the holiday.
“Finally you said something. But it’s too late, you already have tweeted so much today and some of was just pure insults. That was not in the spirit of today,” wrote Steward Beckham.
“Right?” agreed a Twitter user who goes by Mitchie. “I’ve seriously been looking at his tweets wondering just how long it would take before someone insisted that he recognize MLK Day. I didn’t think it was possible for him to be more disappointing. Yet here we are.”
A tweet from the White House’s official page attributed a quote praising King to the president shortly before 10:30 a.m. Trump immediately retweeted that statement from his own account.
Others questioned the president’s choice to support the the Virginia Citizens Defense League rally in Virginia on the holiday.
“Now what could be more appropriate for the US president to do than shamelessly pander to GUN nuts on the day commemorating #MLK who was murdered with a GUN. What a tone-deaf sociopath you are,” wrote filmmaker Andy Ostroy.
The president also had his share of supporters tweeting in his defense Monday.
“MLK is looking down and saying Thank you Mr.President,” tweeted @lisaghlisa, who says she’s a single mom and a registered nurse.
Another user tweeted a Photoshopped picture of Dr. King wearing a MAGA cap, claiming the civil rights leader and the real estate magnate shared a belief in Christianity
“Best President in my lifetime,” wrote a Twitter user whose handle is “Real Defender” and has an American flag and an eagle on his page profile. “I look forward to 4 more years of Trump.”
Conservative commenter Scott Presler tweeted to praise Trump’s position on guns.
“The Second Amendment is the great equalizer,” he wrote “It’s the difference between you fearing the government & the government fearing you.”
Trump paid a surprise visit to King’s memorial Monday afternoon. He was joined by Vice President Pence.
Presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway said Monday morning that she felt MLK would have disapproved of the impeachment trial of President Trump set to begin tomorrow, according to CNN.
King was killed by an assassin’s bullet in Memphis, Tenn. in 1968.
Photo Credit: AP