Following a new CNN/ORC poll pegging his approval rating at a low 44 percent, Donald Trump directed much of Monday morning’s Twitter ire at all the “fake news” surrounding his presidency. The New York real estate mogul turned politician was especially enraged by outlets like CNN, the New York Times, and anyone else whose polling numbers revealed a not so kind picture of his first few weeks as the 45th President of the United States. “I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data,” he tweeted, “and everyone knows it.” Everything else? “Lies!”
I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017
Between the reality presented by the CNN/ORC poll, additional data regarding Trump’s first two weeks in office, and the missteps of staffers like Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer, the president has very little footing to stand on. (Or polled support, for that matter.) Yet he remains adamant in touting himself as a great leader, especially since he purportedly possesses “an accumulation of data” good enough to withstand the scrutiny of others — should Trump ever reveal what he actually means by this.
Either way, the would-be magician’s latest phrasing choice — “I call my own shots” — has predictably invited plenty of jokes, memes and criticism from his Twitter account’s many followers and trolls. Sure enough, many of them rightly call out the president for not explaining his so-called “accumulation of data,” let alone other missing bits of information like his tax returns.
If you have to say "I call my own shots" you def do not call your own shots pic.twitter.com/py0PMUv7oD
— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) February 6, 2017
"I call my own shots largely based on an accumulation of data" sounds like the tagline of a failed comic book series about an IRS employee.
— anne t donahue (@annetdonahue) February 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/MCCisNauseous/status/828645485590245377
Trump types on phone, Bannon over his shoulder–
BANNON
"I call…my own…shots"…No Donnie, "shots," not "shits."TRUMP
Sorry, daddy.— Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) February 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/danagould/status/828636841096077313
https://twitter.com/Khanoisseur/status/828623778695442432
https://twitter.com/jesseberney/status/828582037950967809
"I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data,” is the sort of thing a 15 year old writes on a reddit thread about atheism.
— Rafi Schwartz (@TheJewishDream) February 6, 2017
I, too, call my own shots, largely based on Donald Trump's accumulation of data, and everyone knows it.
— Ashley Feinberg (ashleyfeinberg.bsky.social) (@ashleyfeinberg) February 6, 2017
"Your mortgage is due on the–"
"FAKE NEWS!"
Your car note is due–"
"FAKE NEWS!"
"You owe back taxes to–"
"I CALL MY OWN SHOTS!"— L. Warren (@iamlaurenp) February 6, 2017
"Ask not what your country can do for you." – John F Kennedy, 1963
"I call my own shots." – Donald J Trump, 2017
— Broderick (@BroderickGreer) February 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/ChuckWendig/status/828579022628077569
https://twitter.com/mcuban/status/828577400078397440
I believe this. (“Data” in this context means “things I saw on Fox.”) https://t.co/6rO34oJbbn
— David Frum (@davidfrum) February 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/michaelianblack/status/828645783456976896