U.S. President Barack Obama poked fun at reports Donald Trump had his Twitter privileges taken away over the weekend, saying “if somebody can’t handle a Twitter account, they can’t handle the nuclear codes.”
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Obama’s remarks stemmed from a New York Times report, published Sunday, that claimed Trump’s aides were forced to stop the Republican presidential candidate from posting to his Twitter account, which he has often used to attack his rivals. The report noted his press team saw the restriction of his privileges an “essential move” to take away “a previously unfiltered channel for his aggressions.”
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“In the last two days they had so little confidence in your self control, we’re just going to take away your Twitter,” Obama said during a campaign rally for Hillary Clinton Sunday, as the crowd laughed.
“Now, if somebody can’t handle a Twitter account, they can’t handle the nuclear codes. If somebody starts tweeting at three in the morning because SNL made fun of you, then you can’t handle the nuclear codes.”
On Monday, Donald Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway denied claims that Trump has been barred from tweeting.
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Obama is no stranger to the power of social media. He is considered the first president of the “social media age,” with over 78.7 million Twitter followers, over 50 million Facebook fans and more than 9.9 million Instagram followers. He and his wife, first lady Michelle Obama, regularly post on social media – marking content they send themselves with their own initials – and have been credited for using social media to target young Americans.
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Trump’s Twitter account, on the other hand, has been a source of controversy long before his bid for the oval office. Many of Trump’s old tweets were resurfaced as his presidential campaign picked up speed.
In fact, the New York Times previously printed a two page spread showcasing “all the people, places and things” Trump has insulted on Twitter since his presidential campaign began.
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