Netizens slammed US President Donald Trump for commenting on the death of Representative John Lewis, a prominent civil rights leader who died from cancer on 17 July at the age of 80.
Throughout the day, there had been no statements from the president, and the head of the Congressional Black Caucus, Karen Bass, urged him to let it stay that way, asking Trump to "say nothing" and "let us mourn in peace".
Trump, however, expressed his and the first lady's condolences toward Lewis' family in a laconic tweet which immediately received backlash - both for the fact of publication and for a misspelling of "him and his family".
"Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family", the tweet reads.
Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 18, 2020
Users were particularly enraged with Trump "playing golf today instead of saying anything", while some reports said that he had tweeted from his motorcade while heading back to the White House from his golf club.
Everyday Trump's proves that why he is Worst President Ever pic.twitter.com/TIvTpqvGxw
— Pantomath (@pantomath__) July 18, 2020
"to he" offends me as a retired English teacher.
— Kay Otwell (@OtwellKay) July 18, 2020
You were up late last night, tweeting about GARBAGE long after the world learned of the passing of Rep. John Lewis.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant Rep John Lewis! (@mmpadellan) July 18, 2020
Then you went and played golf today instead of saying anything.
NOW say "Black Lives Matter," because HIS certainly did.
racist says what
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) July 18, 2020
Twitterati slammed Trump as "racist" and "American disgrace.
John Lewis will forever be remembered as an American hero.
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) July 18, 2020
Donald Trump will forever be remembered as an American disgrace.
John Lewis' legacy will be that of a hero. Yours will be that of a zero.
— Angela Belcamino (@AngelaBelcamino) July 18, 2020
Some echoed Karen Bass, suggesting that Trump should not have said anything at all.
keep John Lewis's name out of your mouth
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) July 18, 2020
As expected your words are meaningless. Maybe it would have been better if you didn’t say anything at all.
— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) July 18, 2020
There were some users, however, who noted that there was no way for Trump to escape condemnation, as he would be criticized in both options.
The media and Democrats were going to hate on President Trump whether or not he released a statement on this.
— JT Lewis (@thejtlewis) July 18, 2020
Consider the angry comments leftists post below in response to the President's kind/simple tweet for #RepJohnLewis and his family.
— AwakenedOutlaw⚒️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@AwakenedOutlaw) July 18, 2020
So completely consumed by searing hated they are rendered entirely incapable of even pausing their onsluaght for a solitary moment.
Pray for them.
Representative John Lewis was a prominent figure in the US civil rights movement and the movement to end legal racial segregation in the United States. A head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), he was one of the members of the Big Six group who organized Washington's 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom, advocating civil and economic rights for African Americans.
