White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley and television personality Montel Williams engaged in a brief spat on Twitter Wednesday over President Donald Trump’s plan for a border wall.
Williams, who tags himself in his profile as a member of the widely mocked anti-Trump #Resistance, took shots first in response to one of Gidley’s tweets about a White House cabinet meeting.
https://twitter.com/Montel_Williams/status/1080525138091827206
Gidley didn’t take too kindly to being branded a college fratboy, seizing the opportunity to not only inform Williams that he was 42 years old but to also publicly lash out at Democrats critical of the wall.
Then clearly you don't "realize" much. 1) @POTUS immigration policy, including a wall, is NOT based on what a former talk show host wants, but what the brave men and women at @DHSgov, @ICEgov, and @CBP tell us they need to protect America. 2) No frathouse for a while…I'm 42. https://t.co/8n0iuLyCdE
— Hogan Gidley 45 Archived (@hogangidley45) January 2, 2019
Bemused by the partisan exchange, Twitter users on the left and right fell in line behind each man.
Some cheered Gidley on for his put down.
Perfect response!!
— Jan W (@gran4702) January 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/jdmtens/status/1080545188924325892
Some slammed the deputy press secretary for going after Williams, who is a veteran.
That talk show host served his country in the military. Your boss on the other hand got his Daddy to call in a favor to a podiatrist for a fake bone spur diagnosis so he could dodge the Vietnam War.
— Island Girl – 100% Pro-Choice, Vote Blue (@bluepolitics_) January 2, 2019
Drag him Montel….. pic.twitter.com/jTJP8aZHk9
Meanwhile, others were quick to point out to Gidley that Williams’ status as “a former talk show host” no more disqualifies his opinion on immigration policy than the president’s career as a reality show host.
Yeah, it's not based on what a former talk show host wants. It's based on what a former reality show host wants. BIG difference.
— FuzzBeedEli (@FuzzBeedEli) January 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/pauligirll/status/1080547553542778880
Williams’ mentions, meanwhile, are currently flooded by Trump trolls and other users dragging him for his prior endorsement of Money Mutual—a lead generator for exploitative payday lenders.
https://twitter.com/RyanEGraney/status/1080525750372057088
https://twitter.com/satchmouth/status/1080559210813943808
https://twitter.com/natejundt/status/1080545235883614210
It’s a weird, petty feud.