Donald Trump’s Use of ‘Acquitted’ Newspapers to Bash Critics at National Prayer Breakfast Stirs Social Media

Social media is reacting after President Donald Trump celebrated his Wednesday acquittal on two articles of impeachment by holding up the front pages of two newspapers “reading ACQUITTED” and “Trump Acquitted.” Attending the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday morning, less then 24 hours after the final impeachment vote on the Senate floor, the president held up copies of USA Today and The Washington Post as he took the stage.

The moment immediately stirred social media, which flooded with mixed reactions from both those also celebrating Trump’s acquittal and those feeling as though the Senate had failed in their duties.

“When [Bill Clinton] was acquitted, he apologized, not only to the voters, but to congress for leading them into a lengthy impeachment process,” wrote one person. “He didn’t act like a victim, and hold up newspaper headlines.”

“President Trump holding up newspapers with the headline ACQUITTED at the National Prayer Breakfast is my mood,” tweeted another.

“I saved the newspaper with the headline IMPEACHED, if he wants to hold that one up,” added a third.

“The Best Way To Start The Day,” wrote someone else.

During his Thursday morning appearance, Trump also gave a speech in which he blasted “dishonest and corrupt” people and accused his political rivals of wrongly invoking “their faith as justification” in their calls for his removal from office.

“As everybody knows, my family, our great country and your president have been put through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people,” he said, according to NBC News. “They have done everything possible to destroy us, and by so doing, very badly hurt our nation. They know what they are doing is wrong, but they put themselves far ahead of our great country.”

“Weeks ago, and again yesterday, courageous Republican politicians and leaders had the wisdom, fortitude and strength to do what everyone knows was right,” he continued. “I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong. Nor do I like people who say, ‘I pray for you,’ when they know that that’s not so. So many people have been hurt and we can’t let that go on. And I’ll be discussing that a little bit later at the White House.”

The president is expected to address the nation in a post-acquittal speech at noon ET on Thursday.