During a campaign rally in Tampa Florida last night in support of Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis, President Donald Trump insinuated that voter fraud is a problem in American elections (it's not). After calling for people to be required to have voter IDs, Trump made a startlingly odd claim involving IDs and grocery stores.
"Only American citizens should vote in American elections," Trump groaned. "The time has come for voter ID, like everything else."
As applause thundered through the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall, Trump expanded on the necessity of having an ID - by claiming photo IDs are required to buy groceries.
Trump says you need a photo ID to buy groceries. https://t.co/B4Nd0S645M— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1533083580.0
"You know if you go out and you wanna buy groceries, you need a picture on a card," the president proclaimed, hinting that the billionaire has never actually set foot in a grocery store. "You need ID."
@JuddLegum https://t.co/o6Zg9E0fm6— iamdanny_boy🇬🇭 🌊💙 (@iamdanny_boy🇬🇭 🌊💙) 1533086071.0
No, a photo ID is not required to buy groceries.
Columnist Judd Leggum tore apart Trump's incorrect assumption.
(You don't need a photo ID to buy groceries)— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1533083666.0
Leggum added that in any other time, "this would be a gaffe that would hound him for years."
Before Trump, this would be a defining gaffe that would hound him for years. Remember when John Kerry was pillori… https://t.co/9m9XbvoYUU— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1533083764.0
Of course, these are not normal times, and Trump is not a typical president. Leggum compared Trump's remarks to the time President George H.W. Bush was criticized for being "out of touch" because he didn't know how to work a grocery store scanner. The story made the front page of the New York Times in 1992.
When George H.W. Bush appeared unfamiliar with a grocery store scanner in 1992, it MADE THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW Y… https://t.co/4OWWEQNUbj— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1533088116.0
Fun fact: Bush didn't need an ID.
This is akin to in Arrested Development when Lucille Bluth asks: "how much can a single banana cost, $10?"
Twitter dragged Trump's words and accused him of being out of touch.
@JuddLegum Cashier: Hi, welcome to Piggly Wiggly, did you find everything you needed today? Me: Ya I'm just gettin… https://t.co/LLtb5tSxel— Cheeba Jones (@Cheeba Jones) 1533083690.0
"Out of touch much?"
@CheebaJones @JuddLegum Out of touch much? I wonder how his salt of the earth middle American supporter will feel about that?— Sandra Adair (@Sandra Adair) 1533084989.0
But will Trump's supporters care? Probably not.
@sadair20 @CheebaJones @JuddLegum Won’t care. They don’t have critical thinking skills— Ashley Stephans #KHive (@Ashley Stephans #KHive) 1533085394.0
It's not like they buy groceries or anything.
@StephansAshley @sadair20 @CheebaJones @JuddLegum But surely they have experiential knowledge? Some of them must by groceries, surely.— Time's Up - ResistPersistWitch #LatteSippingElder (@Time's Up - ResistPersistWitch #LatteSippingElder) 1533089617.0
@NannaHannah @sadair20 @CheebaJones @JuddLegum They do buy groceries. But they have convinced themselves that trump… https://t.co/JEcjZqJPVJ— Ashley Stephans #KHive (@Ashley Stephans #KHive) 1533089889.0
Trump has "never gone grocery shopping in his life." Quite possible.
@PollyThomsonStr @joannesmoot @FemmeNatale89 @JuddLegum He’s never gone grocery shopping in his life— Shelly Splainin’ (@Shelly Splainin’) 1533086424.0
How long until the president's supporters begin further drilling this false narrative into the national dialogue?
@JuddLegum I personally can’t wait to be told by all the MAGAS how you definitely need a photo ID to buy groceries,… https://t.co/S4fhZxxJfJ— Trump's Micropenis (Choose Again) (@Trump's Micropenis (Choose Again)) 1533084074.0
Some people hypothesized why Trump may have needed an ID at a grocery store - if he's ever been to one.
It's not a secret that Trump has a less-than-stellar reputation for paying his debts.
@JuddLegum Trump does because he keeps passing bad checks at the Shop Rite.— Bob Loblaw (@Bob Loblaw) 1533083757.0
And his words are often full of hot air.
@mrgregshields @JuddLegum Passing bad checks and gas!— Hulk resists. Then smashes! (@Hulk resists. Then smashes!) 1533084409.0
Is "grocery purchase fraud" a thing?
@dychejs @JuddLegum OMG. I bought groceries today without showing a photo ID. Am I guilty of grocery purchase fra… https://t.co/SpLrVGtNaI— Gary Cannon (@Gary Cannon) 1533088802.0
Trump's knowledge of groceries also came under fire.
@Hershell_Bryant @JuddLegum @MauraLeeLang Oh I know the grocery. Believe me. Everybody knows I know the grocery. I'… https://t.co/VtOWZNiVvu— Bob Vesterman (@Bob Vesterman) 1533093186.0
Twitter also went nuclear with the memes. Oh, the memes.
They're just too hilarious to not share.
@JuddLegum @FemmeNatale89 https://t.co/n0Oc0oJyzJ— Chilal (@Chilal) 1533083866.0
"Things get bought & paid for all the time without ID, like when
#
Putin
bought
#
Trump
."
@JuddLegum When was the last time he bought groceries? When was the fist time he bought groceries? Things get bough… https://t.co/MmrGYFLLMN— Ed the Sock (@Ed the Sock) 1533096249.0
Oof.