President Donald Trump attempted to criticize former president Barack Obama on Saturday by posting a side-by-side image on Truth Social, showing younger versions of both men. The post quickly backfired, drawing widespread mockery and criticism.
Image Comparison Goes Viral
The image included a photograph of a young Trump wearing a military uniform from his time at New York Military Academy alongside a photo of a college-aged Obama smoking what appears to be a cigarette and wearing a Panama hat, taken by photographer Lisa Jack. Many online were struck by the differences between the two young men, but not in the way Trump intended.
Liberal commentator Adam Mockler described Obama as “aura mogging” Trump, meaning Obama’s coolness outshone Trump’s. Former Obama aide and “Pod Save America” co-host Tommy Vietor wrote, “Curious what the messaging goal is here. One guy looks like a good hang while other looks like he would’ve been fragged by his unit in Vietnam (if he hadn’t gotten five deferments).”
Criticism and Confusion Over Trump's Age
Some people questioned Trump’s age in the photo. The images were labeled “D. Trump, 20” and “B. H. Obama, 18,” but Trump’s photo was from his 1964 yearbook at the military academy, when he would have been 17 or 18. Trump’s niece Mary Trump wrote, “This is a picture of Donald when he was a teenager in high school. You’d think he’d know that.”
Others thought the post misleadingly implied Trump had been in the military. “Interesting to post that knowing he’s a draft dodger,” one X user wrote, referring to Trump avoiding the Vietnam War draft with multiple deferments for college and one for bone spurs. Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) wrote, “For the love of GOD, Trump was not in the military FFS. You were not in the military despite you constantly posting this picture you coward pussy.”
Obama's Response to Trump's 'Obsession'
Trump has a long history of attacking Obama. The former president addressed Trump’s “obsession” in a recent episode of the “All The Smoke” podcast, calling it “strange.” Obama said, “The idea that I’d be worrying about somebody who came before and me trying to measure like, ‘What’s he done today?’ Look, constantly worrying about that is a strange thing to me. It shows me somebody who is not focused on the American people and the job they’re supposed to do.”
