Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Donald Trump Just Accused a Democrat of Stealing His New Campaign Slogan, But Turns Out Democrats Used It First

Donald Trump Just Accused a Democrat of Stealing His New Campaign Slogan, But Turns Out Democrats Used It First
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 17: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing on Marine One to travel to New York, at the White House on August 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. Trump will attend a fundraiser in West Hampton Beach, New York. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Fake news.

Early on Tuesday, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to accuse Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio of stealing his 2020 presidential campaign slogan, "Promises Made, Promises Kept."

"That's not at all nice," Trump wrote of de Blasio, who is not currently campaigning for re-election (he was re-elected last year). "No imagination!"


De Blasio "appeared in front of a sign declaring “Promises Made, Promises Kept” at a groundbreaking for a new, 1000-seat school in East New York on Monday," the New York Post reported. The mayor's office said their use of the slogan was purely coincidental.

"This is stupid," City Hall spokesman Eric Phillips quipped. "It’s not the most novel turn of phrase."

But as MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin noted, "Promises Made, Promises Kept" is not a Trump original. In fact, the president borrowed the phrase from President Bill Clinton's re-election bid in 1996.

Chelsea Clinton responded to Griffin: "Perfect. Simply perfect."

And one Twitter user pointed out that "Promises Made, Promises Kept" was also used at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Michigan Gov. John Engler (R) and Chicago Mayor Harold Washington (D) used this slogan as well - decades ago.

So did a mortgage company.

Perhaps even more perfect is that Trump has usurped not one but two presidential campaign slogans - Clinton/Gore 1996 - and Ronald Reagan's slogan in 1980: "Let's Make America Great Again."

The White Nationalist newspaper The Crusader also employed "Make America Great Again."

Another of Trump's political catchphrases, "America First," first appeared on a coin issued by the Ku Klux Klan.

Trump has taken credit for other phrases as well. In October 2017, the president falsely boasted that he had invented the term "fake news."

Trump told CNN's Lou Dobbs:

I think one of the best names is — you know, I've really started this whole 'fake news' thing. Now they've turned it around and then, now, they're calling, you know, stories put out by different — by Facebook 'fake.

"This is the opposite of what happened in real life on planet Earth," wrote Callum Borchers of the Washington Post.

Social media was ruthless in its mockery of the president.

"He stole it first."

"From campaign slogans to email," one user wrote, referring to Trump's plea to Russia to hack and steal Hillary Clinton's emails.

"The original fake president." Oof.

"The amazing ego of the toddler-in-chief makes him think everything originates with him."

Is this what is meant by "Be Best?"

A couple people itemized Trump's broken promises.

Then there was this whopper.

Another called out other times Trump has used someone else's idea.

Trump can be credited with one memorable line, though.

More from People/donald-trump

Gavin Newsom; Donald Trump
Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images; Win McNamee/Getty Images

Gavin Newsom Just Hilariously Trolled President Trump's New 'Walk Of Fame' With A Brutal One Of His Own

California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked President Donald Trump by riffing off the presidential "Walk of Fame" Trump unveiled in the White House back in September, gifting us the "Presidential Walk of Fatigue" instead.

In September, Trump's assistant Margo Martin shared a video of a hallway filled with the portraits of former U.S. presidents. Martin announced that "The Presidential Walk of Fame has arrived on the West Wing Colonnade," and the video she shared pans over multiple portraits of former presidents before lingering on an image of Biden's autopen signature.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gavin Newsom; Donald Trump
Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images; Win McNamee/Getty Images

Gavin Newsom Just Hilariously Trolled President Trump's New 'Walk Of Fame' With A Brutal One Of His Own

California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked President Donald Trump by riffing off the presidential "Walk of Fame" Trump unveiled in the White House back in September, gifting us the "Presidential Walk of Fatigue" instead.

In September, Trump's assistant Margo Martin shared a video of a hallway filled with the portraits of former U.S. presidents. Martin announced that "The Presidential Walk of Fame has arrived on the West Wing Colonnade," and the video she shared pans over multiple portraits of former presidents before lingering on an image of Biden's autopen signature.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Samantha Fulnecky
Fox News

The OU Student Who Got A Zero On Her Bible-Based Essay Was Just Honored By Republicans—Because Of Course

Samantha Fulnecky, the University of Oklahoma student who received a zero on a psychology essay about gender after using the Bible as her only source, was honored by the Oklahoma House of Representatives with a special "Citation of Recognition" this week after her complaint—which resulted in a transgender graduate student being placed on administrative leave—made headlines.

Fulnecky's instructor Mel Curth, a transgender woman, assigned her students a 650-word essay about how gender stereotypes impact societal expectations of individuals. Fulnecky instead wrote about what the Bible says about "traditional gender roles," arguing that to refer to them as "stereotypes" is "demonic."

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Pete Buttigieg
@Acyn/X; KC McGinnis/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

Clip Of Trump Mocking Pete Buttigieg As His Cronies Laugh Feels Like It's Straight Out Of 'Austin Powers'

A sycophant is a person who "acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage." An acolyte is a "true believer who helps carry out orders like a henchman, sidekick, or disciple."

While the words often get used interchangeably, they don't mean the same thing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Prince Harry; Donald Trump
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube; Win McNamee/Getty Images

Prince Harry Just Took A Hilariously Brutal Jab At Trump During Surprise Appearance On 'Colbert'

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, joined late-night host Stephen Colbert as a surprise for his opening monologue on Wednesday evening, and mocked President Donald Trump while he was at it.

Colbert was in the middle of ribbing the Hallmark channel and its string of royally-themed Christmas TV movies this year when he joked about how no one just "runs into a prince at their job." But then in walked Harry, who said he thought he was auditioning for a Christmas-themed Hallmark TV movie.

Keep ReadingShow less