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Home / World

Donald Trump's old tweets are coming back to bite him

By Aaron Blake
Washington Post·
18 Apr, 2017 09:19 PM6 mins to read

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US President Donald Trump. Photo / AP

US President Donald Trump. Photo / AP

Over the last two weeks, President Donald Trump has attacked Syria without congressional approval, ratcheted up the use of force in Afghanistan with a huge bomb, and moved to reverse the Obama Administration's policy of releasing White House visitor logs.

Each of these actions runs completely counter to the views and values once espoused by Trump on Twitter.

And they join an amazingly long - and growing - list of old Trump tweets that have become eerily applicable to Trump's own presidency in ways that scream "hypocrisy".

Below is a list of events in Trump's presidency and campaign, with the old tweets that turned out to be rather unfortunate.

1 SYRIA

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THING TRUMP DID: Attacked Syria in response to a chemical weapons attack on its own people

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2013

"AGAIN, TO OUR VERY FOOLISH LEADER, DO NOT ATTACK SYRIA - IF YOU DO MANY VERY BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN & FROM THAT FIGHT THE U.S. GETS NOTHING!"

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"President Obama, do not attack Syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside. Save your 'powder' for another (and more important) day!"

2 RATINGS

THING TRUMP DID: Attacked Syria at a time when his approval rating had dropped

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2012

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"Now that Obama's poll numbers are in tailspin - watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate."

3 APPROVAL

THING TRUMP DID: Struck Syria without congressional approval

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2013

"The President must get Congressional approval before attacking Syria-big mistake if he does not!"

"What will we get for bombing Syria besides more debt and a possible long term conflict? Obama needs Congressional approval."

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4 VISITORS

THING TRUMP DID: Reversed the Obama policy of disclosing White House visitors

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2012

"Why does Obama believe he shouldn't comply with record releases that his predecessors did of their own volition? Hiding something?"

"A lot of undecided and independent voters have had enough with Obama's lack of transparency. I don't blame them."

"Why is @BarackObama spending millions to try and hide his records? He is the least transparent President--ever--and he ran on transparency."

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"All recent Presidents have released their transcripts. What is @BarackObama hiding?"

5 BOMB

THING TRUMP DID: Dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb ever used by US military on Afghanistan

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2013 and 2011

"Let's get out of Afghanistan. Our troops are being killed by the Afghanis we train and we waste billions there. Nonsense! Rebuild the USA."

"When will we stop wasting our money on rebuilding Afghanistan? We must rebuild our country first."

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6 OBSTRUCT

THING TRUMP DID: Blamed Democrats for obstructing his agenda and nominees, despite the GOP controlling Congress

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2012

"Obama's complaints about Republicans stopping his agenda are BS since he had full control for two years. He can never take responsibility."

7 FAILED

THING TRUMP DID: Failed in his first legislative effort - the GOP health care bill

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WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2014 and 2013

"Young entrepreneurs - Remember that your first deals are the most important of your career. Win & gain confidence."

"Just shows that you can have all the cards and lose if you don't know what you're doing."

8 IMMUNITY

THING TRUMP DID: Encouraged his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, to seek immunity

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2016

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"ATTN: @HillaryClinton - Why did five of your staffers need FBI IMMUNITY?! #BigLeagueTruth #Debates"

9 RATINGS

THING TRUMP DID: Saw his approval rating drop into the mid-to-high 30s

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2011

"@BarackObama has a record low 39% Gallup approval rating. Why so high?"

10 GOLF

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THING TRUMP DID: Held campaign rallies, traveled to Florida and golfed repeatedly during his first three months as president

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2014 and 2016

"We pay for Obama's travel so he can fundraise millions so Democrats can run on lies. Then we pay for his golf."

"Historic Change! Obama has spent over $44M of our money on travel expenses, the most for any president"

"Looking at Air Force One @ MIA. Why is he campaigning instead of creating jobs & fixing Obamacare? Get back to work for the American people!"

11 GOLF

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THING TRUMP DID: Played golf with celebrities and friends

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2012 and 2013

"Obama should play golf with Republicans & opponents rather than his small group of friends. That way maybe the terrible gridlock would end."

"Via @DailyCaller: 'Donald Trump: Obama should golf w/ Republicans, not his 'local friends'"

"I don't mind that @BarackObama plays a lot of golf. I just wish he used it productively to make deals with Congress!"

12 HEALTHCARE

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THING TRUMP DID: Supported a health care bill that the Congressional Budget Office said would reduce the number of Americans with health insurance by 24 million in 2026

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2014

"It's Thursday. How many people have lost their healthcare today?"

13 ELECTORAL COLLEGE

THING TRUMP DID: Won because of the electoral college, while losing the popular vote

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2012

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"The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy."

14 BRIEFINGS

THING TRUMP DID: Avoided many intelligence briefings during his presidential transition period

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2012

"Fact--Obama does not read his intelligence briefings nor does he get briefed in person by the CIA or DOD. Too busy I guess!"

15 TIME

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THING TRUMP DID: Was named TIME magazine's person of the year

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2011, 2013, 2015

"The Time Magazine list of the 100 Most Influential People is a joke and stunt of a magazine that will, like Newsweek,soon be dead. Bad list!"

"I told you @TIME Magazine would never pick me as person of the year despite being the big favorite They picked person who is ruining Germany"

"So biased: @TIME made 'The Protester' as the person of the year. @TIME celebrates OWS but vilified the Tea Party last year."

16 CONFLICTS

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THING TRUMP DID: Dismissed questions about his business conflicts of interests

WHEN TRUMP TWEETED THAT WAS BAD: 2013

"'In the general course of human nature, a power over a man's subsistence amounts to a power over his will.' - Alexander Hamilton"

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