On Monday, which was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, individuals like Ivanka Trump and Kayleigh McEnany took to Twitter to pretend as though the entire presidential administration in which they’re involved isn’t starkly opposed to the basic principles for which the late civil rights leader fought. McEnany, the outgoing White House press secretary, posted a quote on Twitter in which King spoke about forging ahead through “times of challenge and controversy” — like those which the Trump administration itself has inflicted on the United States. Suggesting that the Trump administration and its members have somehow stood up for the U.S. through “times of challenge” is just ridiculous.
The Trump administration is oriented around the interests of one person and one person alone: Donald Trump. At just about every turn, Trump has directed his administration according to his personal political wishes, from his disinterest in the COVID-19 pandemic to his recent incitement of a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his cultish supporters. Nevertheless, McEnany commented as follows:
‘Today, we honor a hero, who embodied love and faith in his pursuit for equality: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – MLK Jr.’
Today, we honor a hero, who embodied love and faith in his pursuit for equality: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
– MLK Jr.
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) January 18, 2021
Although she didn’t spell this part out in the tweet, considering past statements from the president and his allies, the undertone here might be that McEnany imagines that Democrats are responsible for recent “times of challenge and controversy.” Trump has personally freaked out over and over again in the face of investigative efforts that Democrats have launched in response to the duly documented behavior of him and his associates. Among many other examples, Trump once characterized the Russia investigation as “the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history” — which is, of course, entirely misrepresentative of the basic reality of the situation. Reality, however, has never stopped the Trump administration’s self-important persecution complex!
McEnany might also have imagined that tech companies, which conservatives claim unfairly and punitively target their ranks for so-called censorship, are responsible for “times of challenge.” In reality, there’s no conspiracy against conservatives on the part of tech companies. These companies have merely taken action in response to conservatism-fueled violence.
Check out Twitter’s response below:
