Donald Trump Jr. is again in the center of controversy. The eldest son the 45th president of the United States is now being slammed by critics for uploading a video on Twitter where he can be seen standing in front of a wall in what appears to be lined up with guns and ranting at teachers unions for not having broader policies for reopening schools.
The video has since gone viral. He also uploaded the video on Canadian website Rumble. However, the context of the video compared with the background against which he is standing hasn't gone down well with most, which are now labeling his attitude as "extremist."
In the Line of Fire
In the video, which Trump Jr uploaded on Saturday, he can be seen standing in front of a wall that looks like a bunker and has on display a variety of guns. He then in his typical cranked up rhetoric shoots a message wherein he accused that most teachers "prevented schools from opening" because they don't want to return to class without taking the vaccine or without proper safety protocols in place because they don't want to risk their lives.
"The teachers unions are out of control & are destroying our kid's futures!" he wrote in the caption of the video. However, his argument is difficult to follow in the clip. He first speaks in support of the vaccination drive saying: "follow the science" He then says that people should support vaccinations and careful health measures to protect those exposed to group situations amid the pandemic, such as teaching classrooms of children. But soon he starts lambasting the teachers saying that they don't want schools to reopen till they get the vaccine shots and feel safe but by doing so they are hampering the progress of students.
Sounding Like Extremist
Trump Jr's tonality and the background didn't go down well with most people and the video immediately went viral, with many slamming him for his extremist attitude. Many also started debating on the kind of guns that were on display behind Trump Jr. Some said they were flashy, custom-made pistols or even target pistols altered with telescopic sights perhaps to make them appear more menacing.
However, the critics continued slamming him for the irresponsible act. Vox journalist Aaron Rupar commented that the rant trump Jr made the message look and sound like an "extremist video posted from a bunker of an undisclosed location."
Trump Jr is fast becoming part of the growing number of right-wingers who take pride flashing their firearms with their images and videos. Freshman Rep. Lauren Boebert recently posed in front of AR-15-style firearms at her home during a virtual House committee hearing.
"Posting video attack of teacher unions with wall of guns backdrop. Deplorable," twitted one user, while another commented: First, in the era of school shootings, it's in really bad taste for Don Jr. to attack teachers on front of a wall full of guns. It's gross. It feels like a threat in this climate. And right on the heels of the Parkland anniversary." Memes also started flooding with some comparing him to Osama Bin Laden who would also flash guns in his videos.
"He could have used a good public school education. Maybe he would have learned how to form a coherent argument based on evidence and critical thinking. But alas. He's just a rambling moron with some guns," wrote another annoyed Twitter user.
