It’s been half a week since Donald Trump left office, as well as two weeks since he was banned from much of social media. And though things have been much more quiet without his constant presence, his family and supporters are happy to keep him in the conversation. On Friday night, his oldest son, Don Jr., took to Twitter to try and boast about one of his accomplishments. And he was very quickly and very thoroughly owned.
Donald Trump is the first president in modern history did not start a new war.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 22, 2021
“Donald Trump is the first president in modern history did not start a new war,” Jr. wrote. While technically it’s true no war started on his watch, there’s still a lot to unpack here. And unpack people did, taking issue with his bold claim.
For starters, his definition of “modern history” seemed to be pretty modest. Presidents Obama, Clinton, Reagan, and both did either start or involve the U.S. in a war, but you don’t have to reach back that far to find another president who didn’t: Jimmy Carter.
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) January 23, 2021
Jimmy Carter. But still good try. https://t.co/sXrM7YaqGR
— Alan Fisher (@AlanFisher) January 23, 2021
Many pointing out that Jimmy Carter did not start a war but in fairness to Junior, "modern history" is generally regarded to have started after the 1986 Run-DMC cover of "Walk This Way." https://t.co/kiomG7Q2gv
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) January 23, 2021
And then there’s that failed MAGA coup he helped start.
He is, however, the first president to incite an insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. He's also the first president to be impeached twice. Oh, and he's also the first modern president to leave the U.S. with a smaller workforce than it had when he took office.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 23, 2021
What do you think Jan 6th was tho
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) January 22, 2021
Wrong. https://t.co/ZXscr8oKNx pic.twitter.com/WbkEgmbKm9
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) January 22, 2021
https://twitter.com/Bashowicks/status/1352767943667404800
Donald Trump is the first President in US history who tried to start a civil war. https://t.co/Hd6AOfiVzj
— Chip Franklin.com (@chipfranklin) January 23, 2021
Just a civil one. https://t.co/GM8lbD5HXp
— Lloyd Cole (@Lloyd_Cole) January 23, 2021
Unless you count the war at home. https://t.co/4VNtUAGt6F
— Alexandra Halaby🇵🇸 (@iskandrah) January 23, 2021
Or the tragically large number of COVID-19-related deaths, which, nearly a year later, are at record numbers.
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) January 23, 2021
Donald Trump is the first president in US history to have 400,000 Americans die from a preventable infection under his watch. And in all in just 10 months!
— MURRAY (@murray_nyc) January 23, 2021
More Americans died during Trump's presidency than died in World War I or World War II.
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) January 23, 2021
And yet he still managed to oversee the deaths of more Americans than in every single war in American history except one.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) January 23, 2021
Besides, it’s not as though Donald J. Trump didn’t try to start a war.
He bombed Syria twice and had to be stopped from going to war with Iran, but technically, yes, he didn't start any *foreign* wars, just the one that killed people on Capitol Hill and almost ended in the murder of his own Vice President. https://t.co/iRXfFqO86E
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 23, 2021
Some pointed out his other failures.
Also, he's the first President to be impeached twice. His troubles have just begun. Facts won't care about your feelings. https://t.co/YngiMb8BLO
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 23, 2021
Donald Trump is the first president in history to be impeached twice.
I can do this all day, Donnie. https://t.co/WtIlkvh8hw
— Touré (@Toure) January 23, 2021
And some pointed out Jr.’s typo.
1. Get better at history
2. Thanks for making Jimmy Carter trend
3. Work on craftsmanship when it comes to, you know, sentences https://t.co/cUWBhK19d0— Jeremy Goldman (@jeremarketer) January 23, 2021
In fact, maybe it wasn’t Jr. doing the tweeting after all.
When Daddy gets banned from Twitter and has to borrow Junior's phone #basicgrammargiveaway #FloridaMen https://t.co/xMKgvT6Lis
— Lindsay Moran (@LindsayMoran) January 23, 2021