July 21, 2015

Donald Trump Just Accidentally Tweeted a Photo of a Convicted Murderer

Gary M Williams/ZUMA

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


Less than a week after tweeting a campaign poster that confused men dressed in Nazi uniforms for American soldiers, Donald Trump is proving once again he is in fact not a “really smart person.”

Last night, the real estate mogul fell for an internet prank by retweeting a photo of Jeffrey MacDonald, the former army doctor who in 1979 was convicted of killing his pregnant wife and two daughters. Trump evidently confused the original tweet for an endorsement amid the backlash sparked by his comments mocking Sen. John McCain’s military record.

Nazi photos aside, this is far from the first time Trump has committed a social media gaffe. Last September, Trump fell for yet another stunt after retweeting a photo with the message, “My parents who passed away always said you were a big inspiration. Can you please RT for their memory?” The resulting retweet posted a photo of two infamous serial killers.

Though his latest remarks appeared to dip his polling numbers, Trump continues to lead polls of the Republican primary.

Take the next step: Help us fight for the truth.

Investigative journalism, like the story you just read, takes time to do. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices.

We can afford to take that time because we don’t report to an oligarch or corporation with a special agenda. We report to you, and for you. That’s why we unabashedly pursue the truth and relentlessly shine a light into the darkness.

In this month’s Summer Membership Drive, we’ve got to raise $200,000 to support more crucial investigations. This is a pivotal moment in our nation, with democracy on the line, and we can only do this work because readers like you step up. Every donation, of any amount, makes a difference here. We cannot do this work without you.

So, we’re asking: Will you support independent journalism that demands those in power answer for their actions?

Take the next step: Help us fight for the truth.

Investigative journalism, like the story you just read, takes time to do. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices

We can afford to take that time because we don’t report to an oligarch or corporation with a special agenda. We report to you, and for you. That’s why we unabashedly pursue the truth and relentlessly shine a light into the darkness.

In this month’s Summer Membership Drive, we’ve got to raise $200,000 to support more crucial investigations. This is a pivotal moment in our nation, with democracy on the line, and we can only do this work because readers like you step up. Every donation, of any amount, makes a difference here. We cannot do this work without you.

So, we’re asking: Will you support independent journalism that demands those in power answer for their actions?

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

INDEPENDENT. BECAUSE OF YOU.

Mother Jones has no billionaires calling the shots—just readers like you making fearless reporting possible

Donate