President Donald Trump supposedly was “preparing for Davos” on Monday but spent an extraordinary amount of time tweeting. It was bound to happen: he made Martin Luther King Day about himself.
Although King’s actual birthday is January 15, the federal holiday falls on the third Monday in January of each year, which this year happens to be January 20, when America’s presidents are sworn in to office every four years.
Trump couldn’t resist.
“It was exactly three years ago today, January 20, 2017, that I was sworn into office,” he tweeted. “So appropriate that today is also MLK jr DAY. African-American Unemployment is the LOWEST in the history of our Country, by far. Also, best Poverty, Youth, and Employment numbers, ever. Great!”
Note how not only did Trump make the day about himself, he made his inauguration more important than honoring Dr. King’s birth.
Earlier in the day Senior Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway linked Trump being impeached to the injustices Dr. King fought.
We’re not going to challenge Trump’s economic assertions, but many took a moment to challenge how offensive it is to equate one’s self with the American civil rights icon.