A Unified Theory of Trump Trolling

Yesterday, in my Sunday Smiles essay, I mused about Trump’s “own the libs” style of trolling. 

It drives the liberals nuts, which can be very entertaining to watch, but I think a lot of MAGA converts who were initially reluctant to support Trump for cultural reasons are made extremely uncomfortable by his constantly trolling liberals. 

What’s the point, they wonder. Is it presidential? Doesn’t Trump have more important things to do? Is it unnecessarily provocative? 

Obviously, what set off my musings was the recent controversy about Trump’s tweet in which he put up an AI-generated image of himself in Papal garb. 

pic.twitter.com/x2HrR939tn

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 3, 2025

Liberals went insane. Again. 

Oh you are deeply offended, are you. https://t.co/iX5TIAYwdE pic.twitter.com/mbFocZlZzJ

— Chad Felix Greene 🇮🇱 (@chadfelixg) May 3, 2025

A year or two ago, these same people applauded when the FBI labeled traditional Catholics “domestic terrorists,” regularly call priests pedophiles (I could write essay after essay about the fact that government-employed public school teachers abuse more children in any given year than priests did in 70 years and liberals work assiduously to prevent kids escaping the public schools), and bash the Church due to its pro-natalism and anti-gender-ideology stances. 

But whatever. 

Tell AI to make you the pope and post it. Every lib will suddenly become pro catholic. Trust me. pic.twitter.com/RjFYIYc8A5

— The Dank Knight 🦇 (@capeandcowell) May 3, 2025

I can’t tell you how many anti-Catholic liberals have expressed horror and outrage over this meme, and at some level, I can understand some of the criticism. Was this really necessary?

Revolting. Sick. Is the Roman Catholic hierarchy going to demand this twisted Trump post be removed? Republican Catholics should be the first to speak up–you saddled us with Dear Leader, after all. https://t.co/aNorZF5BSy

— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) May 3, 2025

Do you really believe Larry Sabato was revolted? I mean, any more revolted by this than he is by the fact that Donald Trump is president at all? 

I don’t. Every single outraged liberal was defending the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence being celebrated. They cheered on the Olympics, performing the trans version of the Last Supper. Their view is that the best Catholics are those who kill babies, trans the kids, and denounce Catholic social teaching. So spare me any of this fake outrage.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but the Last Supper skit at the Olympics mocks Christ Himself.

The Pope isn’t Christ.

Hope this helps. https://t.co/T0g8kYRswg pic.twitter.com/SlMMGbvIjF

— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) May 3, 2025

Oh, the outrage over Trump’s Pope meme—from the same crowd that applauded an abortion bus outside the DNC and cheered on the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for mocking Christ.

Truly the moral compass of our time! pic.twitter.com/Kl5Iq1nf8i

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) May 3, 2025

Trump may have posted that image as a joke–and a lot of people found it funny–but was it necessary, and why did he do it? 

I have a theory. Not an especially brilliant theory, but I think it hints at why Trump trolls the left so viciously and purposely inspires the outrage. 

Democrats:

How dare President Trump jokingly post a hilarious AI image of him being the Pope!!!

Also, the Democrats:

Here is a video of us mocking the Eucharist with a Dorito to make fun of Trump.pic.twitter.com/EjNXzMM1KL

— C3 (@C_3C_3) May 4, 2025

Trump’s greatest allies are his opposition, who overreact to everything he does and go to ridiculous extremes because he violates the norms they claim (and often do) hold so dear. Liberals will go to the mat to defend wife-beating, human-trafficking MS-13 members rather than agree with Trump on anything, and that reveals them to be insane. 

This stuff transitioned from sort of funny to puzzling to lame to just depressing. Like they’re serious here and this is a third of the country now. https://t.co/zPR8l7Sr0l

— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) May 4, 2025

More importantly, at this moment, the judicial insurrection is slowing down Trump’s agenda, and as important as these fights are, they are complicated and boring. Boring is bad for Trump because he needs his base to pressure Congress to make his reforms and budget cuts permanent. 

Trump needs an excited MAGA base, not a frustrated and confused one. 

Trolling the liberals keeps his base excited, not so much because they love the trolls–some do, some don’t–but we can all unify in defending Trump against the insane attacks. The hypocrisy of the left keeps getting exposed, and the trolling Trump does keep the liberals in a perpetual state of lighting their hair on fire. 

The crazier the left, the more the “rally around the flag” impulse unites MAGA. 

Ah yes, a true classic. We call this one… ‘Not a Maryland Dad’ 🎨 pic.twitter.com/IqANJby4c5

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 3, 2025

Trump needs these seemingly peripheral fights because the core battles he is engaged in are complicated, often dull–at least in the sense that watching appeals move their way through the courts is frustratingly dull–and occur at a pace that benefits his enemies. If we are focused on what lawyers are arguing Trump’s momentum will be pissed away. 

Trolling is not governing, but it is essential to Trump’s power to move Republicans in Congress to get into gear and pass his agenda. Keeping his base engaged and even angry is the only way to keep his momentum going. 

https://t.co/vqAmAEYSEO

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 4, 2025

When liberals go crazy because Trump put up lawn signs of illegal alien mug shots, it gets the blood flowing. And since Washington politicians will not do anything besides spend money, help their buddies, and pat themselves on the back unless they are scared of their constituents, a MAGA base that is fired up is necessary for Trump to accomplish the goals we voted for him to reach. 

Four simple truths… pic.twitter.com/pFwSn2WS1A

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 2, 2025

That, at least, is what I believe Trump is doing. Keeping people fired up. Owning the libs is the best way to own the governing process. It is not an end in itself–although I think Trump enjoys it–but a means to an important end. 

Not only that, it is often hilarious. 

You can help us force the Pravda Media to tell the truth. Join our VIP Membership program! Choose VIP to support Hot Air and access our premium content, VIP Gold to extend your access to all Townhall Media platforms or VIP Platinum to get access to even more content and discounts on merchandise. Use the promo code FIGHT to join or to upgrade your existing membership level today, and get 60% off!