In October 2018, the cover story of Time Magazine was on how Trumpism would outlast its namesake—President Donald Trump.
Time posted an animated version of the cover to its Twitter account, showing a series of pro-Trump yard signs, each with a later election year, ending at "Trump 2044."
TIME's new cover: How Trumpism will outlast Trump https://t.co/PY0Js8gKpS pic.twitter.com/ez0ssGeNBk
— TIME (@TIME) October 11, 2018
Though the article was only meant to reflect on how long Trump's influence would last, the President co-opted a doctored version of the video.
In June 2019, the President tweeted a version showing Trump yard signs into infinity.
pic.twitter.com/JDS4zUXXJG
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019
This sparked concerns that the President would somehow seek to undo term limits, which are embedded in the Constitution via the 22nd Amendment.
Trump's supporters laughed at these concerns, insisting that Trump was just "trolling. The video soon became Trump's go-to for sowing division.
Trump tweeted the video again immediately after he was acquitted in the Senate on the House's impeachment charges.
pic.twitter.com/JDS4zUXXJG
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2020
He tweeted the video again on Tuesday.
pic.twitter.com/JDS4zUXXJG
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2020
But now, one of the most influential anti-Trump Republican groups in existence posted a new version to its Twitter account—and it's even more chilling.
Watch below.
Wow. pic.twitter.com/hoEifgc8Ed
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 6, 2020
The video features the same music, as well as a Time cover, but some crucial details are changed. Instead of pro-Trump yard signs, the signs mark the rising death toll of the virus that's killed over 160 thousand Americans. The cover reads "It is what it is," in reference to a recent dismissal Trump gave in an Axios interview regarding the number of deaths from the virus.
The same virus Trump insisted as recently as this week would eventually just go away.
People appreciated the reference.
It's about time some effectively parodied that stupid video he keeps posting.
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) August 6, 2020
I'm glad someone acknowledged how ridiculous the original video this is based on was!
— Catherine Alix (@CathLeFrere) August 6, 2020
Damn, I love internet. This is so perfect. This is on you, Donald Trump. History will remember this as well. You did this.
— Spartan Warrior(Biden will be the next President) (@ajalexander944) August 6, 2020
People had just one suggestion: that the video simultaneously convey Trump's dismissal of these deaths.
At the end you need to have the audio clip "it is what it is"
— SchindlersCat (@FelisDave) August 6, 2020
Would have loved the audio/visual of him saying he's not responsible there. But brilliant anyways
— Trenton Burke (@Trenton_H_Burke) August 6, 2020
If only the end of that video was him saying, “I don't take responsibility at all.“
— Jeffrey Holland (@1JeffreyHolland) August 6, 2020
That should have ended by him quoting himself saying "It is what it is".
— John Thomas (@KeepResisting45) August 6, 2020
This is great but maybe add trump saying “ it is what it is" at the end
— Raging Liberal Raging Against Injustice (@ragingliberal17) August 6, 2020
But virtually everyone agreed that Trump's leadership in the face of the virus has been calamitous.
Remember when we worried about the deficit? Oh, to have those worries again, instead of death, dysfunction, destruction and corruption.
— Peggy Stuart (@PeggyStuart) August 7, 2020
It's time for trump to fall on his sword.
To fall on one's sword means to take responsibility for something that has gone wrong, in particular, to resign from one's position as a way to acknowledge responsibility for something that has gone wrong
— We have more Cases because we do more Testing (@knewjerseygirl) August 6, 2020
He only cares about himself, notice that all people that come in contact with him are required to test for Covid ? Yet he says that it will magically go away. But he ain't taking no chances 😂😂😂😂😂
— Virgil Kennedy (@KennedyVirgil) August 7, 2020
The Lincoln Project has raised millions of dollars against Donald Trump, much to his chagrin.
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