Latest Tweet Deleted By Donald Trump Appears To Indicate Confusion Over Itinerary
Donald Trump has deleted several tweets since he’s been in office. Some have been mere typos, and others may have had political implications. The latest, Sunday morning, is raising questions across social media. In it, Trump declared that he had just arrived in Italy. Thirteen minutes later, a new Trump tweet appeared, declaring that the U.S. President had just returned from Europe — and the Italy tweet was gone.
While Donald Trump does frequently delete tweets, there are a number of entities archiving these and preventing them from completely disappearing. One is the White House. Engadget reported earlier this year that after concerns that Trump’s deletions might violate presidential archiving laws, White House staff responded with an assurance that all the tweets were recorded, even those disappearing from public view.
For those in the general public, though, there are a few resources. One of these is the Trump Twitter Archive. It saves every tweet from Donald Trump, whether or not it’s deleted. Thanks to this project, the full text, and time, of Trump’s Italy tweet, is available, despite the tweet itself, which used to be here, being deleted. (Note: the archive is in Central time.)
“May 28, 2017 06:57:20 AM Just arrived in Italy after having a very successful NATO meeting in Brussels. Told other nations they must pay more, not fair to U.S.”
One Twitter user also caught a screenshot of Donald Trump’s tweet before it was deleted.
Is @realDonaldTrump having a bad morning? Looks like he realised he's not just arrived in Italy after deleting that tweet? pic.twitter.com/YFo02UQQWd
— Opinion Polls (@Opinion_polster) May 28, 2017
Some other social media users responded to Donald Trump’s assertion he had just landed in Italy, expressing confusion or surprise. Fox News contributor Julie Roginsky shared the tweet, calling it ‘bizarre’ and pointing out the factual inaccuracy.
What a bizarre tweet. The president was back in the United States as he was tweeting this a few minutes ago. https://t.co/YR7YzYVo7z
— Julie Roginsky (@julieroginsky) May 28, 2017
Others on Twitter mocked the confused tweet, asking Trump how he had returned from Europe so quickly, if he’d arrived in Italy only moments before.
Wait, your last tweet said you were in Italy.
— HotMess (@HotMessGibson) May 28, 2017
That was quick! You were just landing in Italy a few minutes back.
— Tony Sharpe (@tonetalk) May 28, 2017
Can somebody please explain to me how tf he can arrive in Italy and then 13 minutes later he's back from Europe?!
— Dave M (@DieselDis) May 28, 2017
Only 13 minutes after the initial tweet, Donald Trump replaced it with one declaring himself returned from Europe.
Just returned from Europe. Trip was a great success for America. Hard work but big results!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2017
This comes only about a week after Donald Trump told a room full of Israeli officials he had just returned from the Middle East. Notably, Israel is in the Middle East, as Italy is in Europe. Also notably, Donald Trump met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome, Italy, on Wednesday May 24th — four days before Trump tweeted his arrival in Italy. The New York Times has Donald Trump’s full itinerary for the trip.
Donald Trump returned to Italy on May 26, after visiting Brussells where he criticized NATO and asserted that other countries were not contributing their fair share. This return was two days before Trump’s tweet asserting that he had landed in Italy and referencing that NATO meeting. The strange tweet on Sunday morning could have been sent at that time and lost somewhere in the Twitterverse before finding it’s way to publish two days late, but if so, it wasn’t Donald Trump’s only tweet that day announcing his arrival. A tweet was published to Trump’s Twitter timeline on Friday, declaring the trip successful.
Just arrived in Italy for the G7. Trip has been very successful. We made and saved the USA many billions of dollars and millions of jobs.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2017
Trump, who in the above tweet declared the trip hard work, has been criticized for traveling using a golf cart while other world leaders walked. According to the Hill Donald Trump and six other G7 leaders were expected to walk approximately 700 yards to a piazza for a group photo. Trump opted to wait for a golf cart rather than walking with the others, and was late for the photo.
I consider my health, stamina and strength one of my greatest assets.The world has watched me for many years and can so testify-great genes!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2015
Your last tweet said Italy??? Make up your mind. Dementia is setting in.
— Nathan (@2013Nathan3) May 28, 2017
Donald Trump’s detractors have questioned whether this is a sign that he has less stamina than he declared during the presidential race, and in light of Trump’s tweeted and deleted announcement that he had arrived in Italy again Sunday morning, some wondered if perhaps the mis-tweet is a sign of exhaustion after the trip.
[Featured Image by Sean Gallup/Getty Images]
