June 16, 2015
It is very easy to pass off Donald Trump's announcement Tuesday that he will be seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2016 as a joke. Some already have.
But the nature of national politics creates an environment that favors celebrity personas, and, therefore the businessman and reality television star is bound to get attention in the media. You may not like that his name is in the news, but that distaste is part of the reason it's there in the first place.
The flip-side of that, for Trump, is that considering the comical and unserious way many view his campaign, in order to thrust himself into serious contention, it would help to have an announcement speech that was factually accurate, policy focused and less sensationalized.
That often was not the case during Tuesday's speech. Here are some of the "highlights" of his announcement, with some of the best reactions.
Lisa Navarrete, spokesperson for National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, via The Guardian:
“This is a man who has a pathological need for attention,” said Navarrete. “I look at him as a 2-year-old who will say a naughty word to get their parents’ attention. That’s what he’s doing.”
Navarrete said the claim that Mexicans seeking work in America were rapists was “offensive."
“This is an exceedingly silly man, who has no idea what he’s talking about,” she said.
Dear Donald Trump, no matter how much you feel a country is full of rapists it's best not to say a country is full of rapists. #TipsForTrump
— Gord Macey (@GordMacey) June 16, 2015
In fairness, if other candidates had talked about the problem of Mexican rapists, Donald Trump wouldn't need to enter this race.
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) June 16, 2015
Donald Trump proposes to build a "Great big wall" and says he will make Mexico pay for it. "Mark my words" #CNN #racefor2016
— Amy La Porte (@AmyALaPorte) June 16, 2015
Ronald Reagan: "Tear down that wall!" Donald Trump: "Put UP a wall!"
— monkees1 (@monkees1) June 16, 2015
#Trump will build wall on border & make Mexico pay for it? Because no one builds walls better than Trump? Really Donald, we're that stupid?
— Dale Alan (@USMC6591) June 16, 2015
Donald Trump’s “big wall” is an excellent start to what could be the most hilarious and terrifying presidential campaign ever.
— Jon Hopkins (@JonHopkins) June 16, 2015
THE GREAT WALL OF TRUMP: #DonaldTrump has a solution to the immigration problem! pic.twitter.com/hE9oshwqsl
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) June 16, 2015
"You have to get hit by a tractor because the deductibles are so high, it's basically useless." #DonaldTrump on #Obamacare
— Kyla Campbell (@KylaCampbellDC) June 16, 2015
Recently, insurers filed requests for increases to premiums. Those are negotiated down...
But how do you respond to "literally, a tractor." As in, Trump thinks that for you to avoid getting a deductible you must have been hit by a tractor? What does that mean?
No #DonaldTrump no one "Literally" needs to get hit by a tractor. #WordsMeanThings
— Jeremy McGovern (@JeremyMcGovern) June 16, 2015
"If You Elect Me, I'll *Literally* Run You Over With A Tractor" - Donald Trump 2016 pic.twitter.com/zBhUwXNdpt
— Craig Harrington (@Craigipedia) June 16, 2015
My neighbor went to the doctor and used Obamacare. I didn't even know they had a tractor! Donald Trump
— pauli (@pj1414) June 16, 2015
Trump says it costs him $3 to make a website. Obamacare site cost $5 billion and its a "disaster."
— Erin Durkin (@erinmdurkin) June 16, 2015
Note to self: don't design a website for Donald Trump.
— Carmine Pirone (@CramersShirt) June 16, 2015
Donald Trump says it costs him $3 to get a website made. Yep. Seems about right #Trump pic.twitter.com/nYmqPWlPYe
— Mic Wright (@brokenbottleboy) June 16, 2015
#DonaldTrump just lost the web developer vote. He says he can get a #website built for $3.00. pic.twitter.com/thq3O4v5xX
— Jim Smith (@_JimSmith_) June 16, 2015
Donald Trump "I hire people, they do a website, it costs $3." Who is designing his websites???
— Ginger Gibson (@GingerGibson) June 16, 2015
They just built a hotel in Syria. Can you believe this? They built a hotel. When I have to build a hotel, I pay interest. They don’t have to pay interest, because they took the oil that, when we left Iraq, I said we should’ve taken.
The grain of truth here is that the Islamic State has taken over a luxury hotel. But they didn’t build it. And it’s not in Syria. And it doesn’t really operate like a normal hotel.
We couldn’t find any evidence that the Islamic State is running any sort of hotel in Syria. We tried to get in touch with a Trump spokesperson and didn’t hear back.
However, this May, the Islamic State reopened a five-star hotel in Mosul that shut down when the terrorist group took over the city, one of the largest in Iraq.
Also, it’s not really open for business. According to news reports, the Islamic State is using the hotel’s 262 rooms to house the group’s commanding officers, and they might use it as a wedding venue for the group’s members.
TRUMP: So ISIS opened a hotel in Syria. It's a disgrace. It doesn't have any of the amenities of the Taj Mahal or Mar-A-Lago. Losers.
— Matt Christman (@cushbomb) June 16, 2015
The nerve of ISIS to build a hotel in Syria without #Trump name on it. Can bankruptcy be far behind?
— Jim Consolantis (@jconsolantis) June 16, 2015
