Between evidence of campaign-approved “voter suppression” and his surprising wife Melania with upcoming speaking engagements, Donald Trump’s isn’t doing so hot right now. Maybe that’s why the embattled Republican nominee decided to spend his Thursday tweeting about his imagined best pal Michael Moore — the same Michael Moore who recently debuted a surprise film, Michael Moore in TrumpLand, decrying the real estate mogul and those who may vote for him.
The first tweet arrived at 10:32 a.m. ET, with a link to a YouTube video containing audio ripped from Moore’s new film. (The account hosting the video appears to be pro-Trump, but unaffiliated with the official campaign.) Trump said he agreed with Moore’s sentiments in the clip, and urged his supporters to vote on November 8th.
I agree, @MMFlint– To all Americans, I see you & I hear you. I am your voice. Vote to #DrainTheSwamp w/ me on 11/8. https://t.co/D7nBwkogBb
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2016
The second dropped nearly six hours later, complete with an embedded video clip ripped from Michael Moore in TrumpLand of the same clip from before. Trump didn’t @ Moore’s Twitter account this time, though much of the tweet’s copy remained the same.
#ICYMI: I agree- To all Americans, I see you & I hear you. I am your voice. Vote to #DrainTheSwamp with me on 11/8. https://t.co/XW8hBRHQ3j pic.twitter.com/hypGfcOYTY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2016
Unfortunately for Trump, the Trump campaign and whoever thought citing Moore’s film was a good idea, the documentary filmmaker never explicitly says he’s supporting or endorsing Trump. Nor is what he’s saying — given the full context of his remarks — all that positive. According to Snopes, which traced the false meme to a Facebook video posted by Internet troll and Breitbart blogger Milo Yiannopoulos, significant changes were made to the clip.
Yes, Moore did say “Trump’s election is going to be the biggest fuck you ever recorded in human history and it will feel good” if such a thing were to actually happen. But he also said the “Ohioans, Pennsylvanians, Michiganders and Wisconsinites” who vote for Trump will come to “regret it.” Much like, per Moore’s favorite example in TrumpLand, the Brits who recently voted for their country’s forthcoming exist from the European Union.
Moore hasn’t responded directly to Trump’s tweets as of this writing. However, he did offer a thinly veiled joke at the presidential candidate’s expense:
Future SAT question (fill in the blank):_____________________ Answer: #GeorgeOrwell #LewisCarroll #JonathanSwift or #DonaldJTrump
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) October 27, 2016
(Via Donald Trump/Twitter, Michael Moore/Twitter and Snopes)
