Before officially announcing his 2020 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump began filling out his campaign staff. Matt Wolking—who from 2008-2011 ran a conspiracy theory laden blog that called Muslims "murderous thugs"—was hired by Trump's campaign to head an "aggressive rapid response team, refuting attacks and exposing the fake news media."
The President's recent Twitter activity dominated the news after several controversial posts by Trump on Sunday, so Wolking's team was deployed to provide a response. In keeping with their employer's tactics, Wolking posted that what people read from Trump's official Twitter account was not what they read.
With screengrabs of the President's tweets, Wolking posted:
"Anyone who says the president told members of Congress to go back to where they came from is lying."
His justification for telling four American citizens, three of whom were born in the United States to "go back" to the "countries" they came from? Trump told them to come back again once they fixed their own countries.
Anyone who says the president told members of Congress to go back to where they came from is lying. He told them t… https://t.co/Aww3KuHYi1— Matt Wolking (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@Matt Wolking (Text TRUMP to 88022)) 1563115706.0
Wolking's doublespeak failed to exonerate the President however since it missed the issue entirely. These four Congresswomen of color are from the United States.
Their country is the United States. The notion that only White United States citizens are "real Americans" is a White nationalist talking point that ignores the fact White people are not Indigenous to any parts of the Americas.
It was this repetition of White supremacist and White nationalist rhetoric that people took exception to and Wolking failed to address. And people were quick to let Wolking know he missed the mark.
@tonyposnanski/Twitter
@KevinMKruse @MattWolking "The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, mos… https://t.co/dMWL1p2MS7— Adam Davies (@Adam Davies) 1563170762.0
@MattWolking https://t.co/saK1IPSsuy— Ida Skibenes ❄️ (@Ida Skibenes ❄️) 1563124386.0
@MattWolking You are a f***ing idiot. https://t.co/du0lgPmrLg— The Hoarse Whisperer (@The Hoarse Whisperer) 1563132328.0
@HoarseWisperer @MattWolking Not to mention he assumed that they weren’t born here! What’s the rapid response spin on that, MATT?— JB (@JB) 1563133130.0
People noted there are plenty of outspoken White members of Congress, yet Trump never suggested they go back to the countries they came from.
@HoarseWisperer @MattWolking Not to mention Katie Porter. She’s very out-spoken. No suggestion she go back to where… https://t.co/CimSN7TQrW— JB (@JB) 1563134720.0
@QuiggsJenny @MattWolking He literally say “go back to your countries and fix them and then come back and show us h… https://t.co/WXgQjuWMif— I Side With Facts (@I Side With Facts) 1563121365.0
Some pointed out other messages that are not really there except when they actually are.
@MattWolking And nowhere in the Ten Comandments does it say “You shall not commit adultery”. See... https://t.co/NEnn1XNyKG— Toby Veach (@Toby Veach) 1563165647.0
Although some thought Trump hit the nail on the head without meaning to, something Hillary Clinton also pointed out.
@MattWolking 3 were born in the USA so basically they are already doing what he is telling them to do. However, that is not what he meant.— Artist Gail (@Artist Gail) 1563117153.0
@MattWolking So, @AOC is literally the rep of where Donald Trump grew up. And that’s where she’s from. Born and rai… https://t.co/9GvVlqjExl— Joshua Lander (@Joshua Lander) 1563119016.0
@DamianiJoe @pithyandwitty @BruceDuck2 @lander @MattWolking @AOC @RashidaTlaib @AyannaPressley @IlhanMN https://t.co/irSrAV1rgN— Nancy Bertin (@Nancy Bertin) 1563168827.0
Many called Wolking a liar.
@MattWolking Oh FFS, I'm so tired of Trump cult telling us to not believe what we see with our own eyes.— JennyQuiggs (@JennyQuiggs) 1563118506.0
But Wolking tried to pull out a win anyway.
@MattWolking The tweet literally has the words “go back” in it...— Lynn Comella (@Lynn Comella) 1563117968.0
@LynnComella As usual, members of the media are misleading Americans by using selective quotes and not telling the whole story— Matt Wolking (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@Matt Wolking (Text TRUMP to 88022)) 1563118154.0
With poor results.
@MattWolking @LynnComella And as usual Trump”s people justifying his racism.— David Weissman (@David Weissman) 1563125772.0
@MattWolking Are you not embarrassed by this? I have seen spinning before, but this is pathetic. Even though your… https://t.co/PO5xLQMOYV— Fred Guttenberg (@Fred Guttenberg) 1563135674.0
@MattWolking He used the words “go back” to the “places from which they came,” so.— Meghan McCain, Viewish American Princess (@Meghan McCain, Viewish American Princess) 1563190465.0
@DevinCow @norm_dagaire @MattWolking DJT has a serious case of foot in mouth disease, or maybe "hoof in mouth disea… https://t.co/U65Bb2fiH3— Richard M Dennis (@Richard M Dennis) 1563201381.0
@MattWolking So... your defense of Trump is that he said “Go back to Africa but just for a visit”?— Matthew Segal (@Matthew Segal) 1563118031.0
The Republican party and the President's most fervent support base, Evangelical Christians, remained largely silent about the controversy until the backlash continued to dominate the news on Monday. Their eventual responses are being criticized as being tepid at best.
Meanwhile President Trump demanded an apology from the four United States citizens he told to go back where they came from.
The book Trump Lies And Evangelical Christians: Lost Moral and Ethics Authority-A Study of Sin, Sanctification, and Holiness-impeaching Trump and Evangelical Christians, available here, explores the unusual relationship between a thrice divorced businessman and the religious right.