Donald Trump Jr. tweeted #MeToo, and Twitter's response was savage
Since the hashtag #MeToo began taking social media by storm in October 2017, countless survivors of sexual harassment and assault have used it to speak out. The conversation surrounding #MeToo even resulted in the downfall of several predatory men, such as Harvey Weinstein, and the women (and men) involved in the movement were named 2017’s Time Person of the Year. But unfortunately, the #MeToo movement’s visibility hasn’t stopped people from mocking it, and now, Donald Trump Jr. is among those doing so.
It started yesterday, May 2nd, when Trump Jr. retweeted conservative commentator Candace Owens using the hashtag #MeToo. Owens recently made headlines when Kanye West tweeted, “I like the way Candace Owens thinks,” in response to her comments against Black Lives Matter. Yesterday, Owens tweeted a Daily Caller article about how support for President Donald Trump was growing among black Americans.
“Black male approval for @realDonaldTrump has doubled over the past week,” Owens wrote in her tweet. “They love the way Candace Owens thinks.”
Trump then retweeted Owens’ commentary, using the same #MeToo shared by thousands of sexual harassment and assault survivors simply to express his agreement.
#metoo https://t.co/X51TyfMTKI
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 3, 2018
Twitter users wasted no time clapping back at Trump for co-opting the hashtag.
I don't think you get to use the #MeToo hashtag when your dad is one of the reasons it was created.
— Lynn Boutin (@LynnBoutin1) May 3, 2018
Maybe he means 'me too, i sexually assaulted women like my father'
— citygirl407 (@toofabforwords) May 3, 2018
You don't get to make a joke or commandeer that phrase to turn it into whatever-and if you're using it as a "I support this woman here" show that's even more ignorant. Have respect for the women who used that phrase in sharing stories of violence against them
— Amanda (@aeostuni) May 3, 2018
Lil Donny likes to mock the #metoo movement...wonder why? #hypocrite @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/NPOoFpad7J
— wedishthisandthat (@bigdogjeff65) May 3, 2018
Ewwwwwwww you should never be allowed to hashtag that in your life!
— Tiny Timmins (@ShaunaTimmins) May 3, 2018
Not the proper use of #metoo did support rise from 4 to 8?
— MSherrill (@m_sherrill) May 3, 2018
Please stop using that hashtag. You’re mocking every single person who has been victimized. No wonder your wife left u.
— Melissa B (@meliss_nyc) May 3, 2018
Do you even understand the hashtag that you used? ???????????
— Becki Loves Dressage (@horseluvr23) May 3, 2018
Wow, what a crazy use of #metoo from the son of a sexual abuser!
— Steve Forreal (@Steve_Forreal) May 3, 2018
O. M. G.
Did you just use #MeToo to express some juvenile, racist agreement with a false claim about your daddy's relationship with black folk?
Idiot.
No wonder your wife left you.— Katie Eads (@KateEads) May 3, 2018
This isn’t the first time the president’s son has misappropriated #MeToo. In early April, he again used the hashtag to agree with a tweet that “Obama is ‘relieved’ to no longer be president.”
#metoo https://t.co/EkTm9KPxeC
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 4, 2018
And while it’s not entirely clear whether he genuinely doesn’t understand what the hashtag represents or is just trolling, Trump routinely uses Twitter to mock liberal ideals. On Halloween, he tweeted a picture of his daughter, saying he was going to take half of her trick-or-treating candy to “teach her about socialism.”
I’m going to take half of Chloe’s candy tonight & give it to some kid who sat at home. It’s never to early to teach her about socialism. pic.twitter.com/3ie9C0jv2G
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 31, 2017
Whether intentional or not, Trump’s misuse of #MeToo is deeply insulting to people who have actually experienced sexual harassment or assault. Maybe someday he’ll learn to think before he tweets.