Fox News host Sean Hannity, an unabashed supporter of President Donald Trump, tried to stir the Twitter pot on Monday night when he asked people what they thought of a painting someone made of the president holding a tattered American flag on a football field.
Clearly trying to own the libs in light of the extreme backlash he faced after posting (and then deleting) a post about the “scandal” regarding “secret sperm” in President Barack Obama‘s official portrait, Hannity said: “the ‘left’ loves art, and especially taxpayer-funded art that is ‘provocative.’ Let’s get their reaction to this” before posting a YouTube link to a painting by Jon McNaughton.
McNaughton’s painting shows Trump clutching a “shredded, trampled, grass-stained” American flag on a football field, trying to clean it and looking morose.
https://twitter.com/seanhannity/status/968300282533892096?s=12
In McNaughton’s video about his art, he explains that he was “offended” by NFL players kneeling during the national anthem this past football season as a way of protesting police brutality against people of color.
Trump attacked NFL players on several occasions, even calling for protesting players to be fired. The president also launched a petition asking his supporters to show they stand with him in his criticism of protesting NFL players.
“In my mind I envisioned the president standing on a football field after he’s picked up a shredded, trampled, grass-stained American flag,” McNaughton says in his video that Hannity linked to. “He holds to his chest and attempts to clean it with a rag, and he says ‘what are you doing?'”
Hannity’s publicity of McNaughton’s video may have done more harm than good because the responses were exactly what you’d expect:
The real question is, is Trump grabbing the flag by its p***y? https://t.co/sVWtze8IkJ
— Hozier than Thou (@monkeychewtoy) February 27, 2018
A masterwork. You can see in Trump’s expression this is the first time he has ever tried to clean an object by himself and although he isn’t sure how, he will boldly make the attempt. A moving portrait of a man pushing himself. https://t.co/K4kYwkWdMb
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) February 27, 2018
fixed it. pic.twitter.com/Eje5Q2ijdn
— James Schaaf (@schaafdesign) February 27, 2018
https://twitter.com/jeffbercovici/status/968327718432661509
This is literally the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Thank you for sharing.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 27, 2018
Wow. The next Picasso. Timeless, creative, masterful. I’m at a loss for words. https://t.co/nw4mYEUDn4
— Emily C. Singer (@CahnEmily) February 27, 2018