Donald Trump Jr got a lesson in sharing from social media on Tuesday, after tweeting a picture of his daughter Chloe with her Halloween candy haul, and threatening to take half of it away 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
Within hours, Trump Jr’s tweet had generated over 50,000 replies, with many users pointing out that he wasn’t describing socialism, but sharing – something most children are taught to do.
Imagine thinking that teaching your child to share is bad. https://t.co/tVa3Uw4x3R
— 박주현 (@Hermit_Hwarang) October 31, 2017
Lots of people used the tweet as an opportunity to criticise Trump Jr’s understanding of socialism, given that trick-or-treat candy is given to children as a handout due to the kindness of strangers.
My man, "socialism" was her getting that free candy in the first place. You taking half for reasons she can't understand is capitalism https://t.co/w9x9zB0xLA
— 💀👻The News👻💀 (@Bearpigman) October 31, 2017
Your kid went begging from hard-working people for candy. The kid who stayed home got theirs because their parents worked to pay for it.
— Nick Pettigrew (@Nick_Pettigrew) November 1, 2017
In your simile, if anyone’s the socialist it’s Chloe. https://t.co/GNT6viB524
Some pointed out that giving candy to children who weren’t able to go out trick-or-treating would, in most circumstances, be considered a good deed.
Going to a home of disabled children and handing out candy there would teach her (and you) a lot more. https://t.co/N2l14yEPaR
— Patrick McGee (@PatrickMcGee_) November 1, 2017
Let me fix that for you... "Give some of the free candy she got to children who couldn't go out to get free candy." https://t.co/XM9DcbkDFP
— Abby (@AbbyJSS) November 1, 2017
The origins of Trump Jr’s own inherited wealth were also a target for mockery.
From the guy who got his millions by being born to a millionaire. Who got his millions by being born to a millionaire https://t.co/iyXWBwP5fX
— Tim Jong Un (@Tim_McNulty) November 1, 2017
It's telling that junior thinks that "walking around getting gifts from people" is a good metaphor for "earning money" https://t.co/41m4nfQBr4
— Matt Blackwell (@matt_blackwell) October 31, 2017
Revealing conflation of "good honest graft" with "being given stuff because you're a kid" here. https://t.co/hmanbsLnXP
— Hugo Rifkind (@hugorifkind) November 1, 2017
Those making this point included the Harry Potter author JK Rowling
Fill her bucket with old candy left by her great-grandfather, then explain that she has more because she's smarter than all the other kids. https://t.co/0lbhHYyFe4
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 1, 2017
Other people stretched Trump Jr’s analogy to illustrate “trickle-down” economics, make a point about his father’s proposed tax reform programme.
Or you could just take 99% of Chloe’s candy, eat it and tell her to wait for it to trickle down. https://t.co/B24iOoLXpU
— Amir (@AmirAminiMD) November 1, 2017
Or you could give 90% of her candy to the one richest kid in the neighborhood.
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) October 31, 2017
It's never too early to teach her about Republicanism. https://t.co/gARIEd0qfM
And of course, there was plenty of mention of the Trump campaign’s alleged ties with Russia.
Why not give all of it to Russia, and teach her about her dad and her grandpa. https://t.co/2bwiA5Ys02
— John SCAREavosis (@aravosis) October 31, 2017
How do you even know if the kid who sat at home likes Russian candy?
— Chris Boone (@ChrisBoone) October 31, 2017
There was also criticism of Trump Jr’s decision to use his three-year-old daughter to make a political point.
“Don’t bring the kids into it. kids are off-limits." https://t.co/aR48VBhHcZ
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) October 31, 2017
"But daddy, people gave me these sweets free out of kindness"
— Mike Holden (@MikeHolden42) November 1, 2017
"SHUT UP AND POSE FOR DADDY'S POLITICAL SNIPE PHOTOGRAPH!" https://t.co/OXJNOjvnuw
Halloween hasn’t been the easiest period for the Trump family, with the president criticised for remarks he made when meeting children in the White House over Halloween.
