Remember the time when the president of the United States had better things to do than launch into Twitter feuds with celebrities?
Yup, it was a simpler, blessed time, wasn’t it?
Following the Academy Awards, president Trump decided to take on Best Adapted Screenplay winner Spike Lee in an early morning tweetstorm.
In his acceptance speech, for BlacKkKlansman, Lee referred to February being Black History Month and discussed slavery and its legacy. He said that his great-grandmother was a slave.
Before the world tonight I give praise to our ancestors who built this country into what it is today along with the genocide of its native people.
If we all connect with our ancestors we will have love, wisdom and regain our humanity. It will be a powerful moment.
The 2020 presidential election is around the corner. Let’s all mobilise, let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate.
Let’s do the right thing! You know I had to get that in there.
It’s no secret that Trump isn't a fan of the Oscars. In the past, he’s tweeted about the ceremony’s “low” ratings after winners have criticised him in speeches.
So, in predictable form, Trump took to Twitter to call out Lee.
Most bizarrely, Trump said that Lee was “racist” towards him during his speech about slavery. This is the man who kicked off his presidential campaign by calling Mexican immigrants “rapists”, said that some white supremacist protestors in Charlottesville are “very fine people” and tried to temporarily ban people from Muslim countries from entering the United States. Lee didn't actually mention Trump's name once in his speech, so the fact that Trump took "choose love over hate" as a personal attack is rather telling.
Naturally, Twitter was quick to put Trump in his place.
@EdKrassen @realDonaldTrump You’ve done NOTHING for Black people Trump, you idiot! White people are in prison too j… https://t.co/S5ayyvRovl— Bishop Talbert Swan (@Bishop Talbert Swan) 1551096043
@realDonaldTrump Trump slams Spike Lee but still has not slammed his white supremacist supporter who planned a terr… https://t.co/6Nw6CyB0VF— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@(((DeanObeidallah)))) 1551098842
@realDonaldTrump He actually didn't mention your name at all. He simply said, "choose love over hate" and "make the… https://t.co/6rmDZ5rs3Q— Nick Jack Pappas (@Nick Jack Pappas) 1551096095
@realDonaldTrump Dude, Spike Lee encouraged black voters to choose love over hate. He didn’t mention your name. You… https://t.co/wtCHW3miBb— Liddle’ Savage (@Liddle’ Savage) 1551102334
@realDonaldTrump Spike Lee never said your name. Were you watching in case someone did evoke the sickening spirit o… https://t.co/TKeQWqHlGU— Lesley Abravanel (@Lesley Abravanel) 1551096464
@realDonaldTrump Be Nice if the President would focus more on governing and less on crying about award shows! 🤦🏽♀️— Ryan Hill (@Ryan Hill) 1551102772
@realDonaldTrump Mmh, who am I supposed to believe now? A dedicated African-American or a notoriously lying white… https://t.co/nwRx1UF5fE— Thorsten (@Thorsten) 1551097250