Donald Trump Jr sent a tweet about HIV and it’s just really, really dumb
Donald Trump, Jr. attends the 139th White House Easter Egg Roll at The White House on April 17, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Leigh Vogel/WireImage,)
We regret to inform you that Donald Trump Jr has tweeted about HIV.
The US President’s son has provoked anger with his response, after queer website Queerty published an article titled: “What you stand to lose by not having sex with people with HIV.”
Trump Jr tweeted: “Well I can think of one thing.”
The comment, interpreted as a misguided and extremely outdated joke about deaths from HIV/AIDS, was promptly called out by the entire internet.
Everyone is pissed at Donald Trump Jr
Democratic candidate and drag artist Marti Gould Cummings responded succinctly: “F**k off don”.
Well I can think of one thing. https://t.co/A34xY74OYc
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 23, 2019
HIV-positive Hamilton star Javier Muñoz responded: “Your comment is 100% part of the problem by strengthening Stigma which the entire world, the entire world, is rallying to destroy because it is literally possible, within our lifetime, to end HIV/AIDS. This ignorant drivel is all you have to offer? You’re on the wrong side.”
Broadway star Nick Adams added: “Garbage person. How’s trolling Gay websites going?”
Meanwhile, gay blogger JoeMyGod pointed out: “Your father barebacks porn stars.”
Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David said: “Trump Jr. just proved again what we already knew — that he, his father and the Trump-Pence administration don’t care about people living with HIV, are undermining competent care and have no understanding of people living with HIV.
“Trump Jr.’s absolutely disgusting and ignorant tweet only serves to perpetuate the stigma faced by people living with HIV, which HRC and LGBTQ advocates have fought so long to end. Trump Jr. must apologise.”
Where Donald Trump leads, Don Jr follows
It’s hardly the first time that Trump Jr has lashed out at the LGBT+ community for attention in place of fatherly approval.
Donald Trump Jr with his father (Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images)
The book that he recently claims to have written dedicates a lot of time to anti-trans rhetoric.
However, in this case, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
In 2017, recordings emerged of President Trump joking about forcing Princess Diana to take an HIV test before having sex with her.
Trump made the horrifying comments shortly after Princess Diana’s death in 1997, in a radio interview with shock jock Howard Stern.
Stern told him: “You could’ve gotten her, right? You could’ve nailed her.”
Trump replied: “I think I could have.”
Trump and Stern then joked about forcing the deceased Princess to take an HIV test before having sex with her, with Trump quipping: “Come back over to my Lexington Avenue doctor. We wanna give you a little checkup.”
