Donald Trump and Martin Luther King Jr. have a lot in common, especially in their mugs — at least that’s what some on the right are saying … on a momentous day, no less.
Indeed, this is a comparison that several conservatives on Twitter have actually been making over the last 24 hours — which just so happens to fall on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington Saturday, when MLK delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in D.C.
The reason so many of these right-wing figures are suggesting DT and MLK are one in the same here, apparently, has to do with how they look in the police booking photos.
Fox News host compares Donald Trump’s mugshot to MLK’s mugshot: “An image of defiance” pic.twitter.com/IFoUHroPQG
— aliciasadowski (@aliciasadowski6) August 25, 2023 @aliciasadowski6
Obviously, Trump comes across as angry and defiant — and many are suggesting he’s echoing the likes of other iconic American figures throughout history … like Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin and, yes, even Dr. King. That’s what FOX News’s Will Cain said Friday, anyway.
He got pushback from FOX contributor Jessica Tarlov … who said what Trump’s going through in the criminal justice system right now isn’t even close to what MLK put up with.
2 great men that were persecuted for standing up for a better America. #Trump #MLK pic.twitter.com/m4ef0Prz0X
— Clarence Thomas’ play nephew (@NobleNegroe) August 25, 2023 @NobleNegroe
One would think it’s an obvious apples-to-oranges case, but it sounds like A LOT of Trump supporters legitimately think he’s a victim of political persecution … and a target of Justice Department. That was true in Dr. King’s case, no doubt, but the jury’s kinda out on Trump.
Dr. King, of course, was arrested many, many times over the years (wrongly, and often without just cause) for trying to stand up for civil rights for Black Americans. His imprisonments were often carried out down in the South, especially in Alabama.
60 years ago Martin Luther King Jr. led 250,000 people to March on Washington in peace and the Reverend spoke about his dream for equality in America.
This is the same dream President Trump has fought for his entire life. MLK Jr. would be disgusted with the treatment Trump has… pic.twitter.com/LZ2yTVpZrY
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) August 26, 2023 @ACTBrigitte
Like Trump, though, he was also arrested by Atlanta-area authorities during a protest sit-in in 1960. That’s not much of a connection, but some are connecting those dots regardless.
Another weird thing that’s happening with this Trump/MLK phenomenon … a ton of AI art is being generated and circulated that shows the two of them cozying up and posing together.
Now, as you might imagine … there’s been a lot of outcry over the viral juxtaposition. The argument on the other side of this is … Trump is not the martyr his base is trying to make him out to be, and he certainly shouldn’t be mentioned in the same convo as MLK at all.
None of MLK’s family members have responded to this side-by-side just yet … which makes sense. A lot of them are down in Washington right now trying to honor his memory/legacy.
That’s not stopping the MAGA crowd from rallying around this idea, though. Strange times.