NEW YORK — Recent gatherings involving President-elect Donald Trump, such as a dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, have proven to be more than just diplomatic exercises. These events have also turned into prime opportunities for Trump’s trademark trolling.
Throughout his tenure in the White House and during his campaign for reelection, Trump has consistently delivered provocative, mocking, and controversial statements. His history is marked by sarcastic nicknames for rivals, impressions of political figures, and a plethora of memes shared on social media platforms. Now, as he prepares to assume the presidency once again, he has intensified his trolling, sparking both attention and eye-rolling among the public.
At a recent Notre Dame ceremony, Trump shared a photo of himself sitting next to a smiling First Lady Jill Biden, which he used as a promotional tease for his new perfume and cologne line, tagged with the slogan, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” This move received no comment from the First Lady’s office.
In a prior interaction, Trudeau hurriedly traveled to Florida after Trump threatened to impose a significant tax on all Canadian goods entering the U.S. During this meeting, Trump humorously suggested that Canada might become the 51st state. While the Canadians dismissed the comment as a joke, Trump has continued to highlight the remark, even referring to Trudeau on his social media platform as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.”
With years of experience as an entertainer and public figure, Trump has honed a knack for generating provocative content that captures attention and rallying supporters around his irreverent comments. He enjoys taunting political opponents both to belittle them and to amuse his followers, who often share his remarks widely online and cheer for them during public appearances. Recently, he publicly poked fun at Canada on social media, posting an AI-generated image of him on a mountain beside a Canadian flag with the caption “Oh Canada!”
Marc Miller, Canada’s Immigration Minister, commented humorously that the situation feels like unfolding events from a “South Park” episode. Trudeau himself noted that Trump’s approach often seeks to challenge and create uncertainty in negotiations, urging his team not to panic in response to Trump’s tactics.
Even family gatherings like Thanksgiving haven’t escaped Trump’s trolling. On that day, he released a parody video, using footage from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” which featured the faces of President Biden and other Democrats, depicting him dramatically bursting from a turkey amidst purple sparks while dancing to the “Y.M.C.A.”
During his presidential campaign, Trump teased Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by refusing to use his real name, referring to him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” and playfully dismissing the moniker “Meatball” Ron, which the media suggested he might use. In his critiques of President Biden, Trump made fun of various aspects of the president’s persona and capabilities, often using jokes and visuals at his rallies.
After Kamala Harris was chosen as Biden’s running mate, Trump suggested she had never worked at McDonald’s during her college years, a jab that led him to stage a humorous event at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s where he operated the fry station and addressed reporters from the drive-thru.
Trump’s team confidently asserts that the public should embrace his brand of humor. Steven Cheung, his communications director, praised Trump’s messaging skills, positioning him as relatable to everyday people, contrasting it with what he perceives as overly serious media.
While the Biden and Harris campaigns have also engaged in meme-sharing and playful responses to Trump’s provocations, Canadian officials have largely chosen not to react significantly. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller remarked.
Gerald Butts, a former senior adviser to Trudeau, mentioned that Trump had made the 51st state joke to Trudeau on multiple occasions during his first term. Butts added that Trump’s actions aim to create anxiety and uncertainty among others, effectively putting them on the defensive. “I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it,” Butts concluded.
