Twitter memes mock Trump for his 'TREASON?' tweet responding to the anonymous New York Times op-ed.

Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Memes mock Trump for tweeting the anonymous op-ed could be ‘TREASON?’

No, the op-ed is not treason.

 

Kris Seavers

Internet Culture

Posted on Sep 5, 2018   Updated on May 21, 2021, 7:13 am CDT

President Donald Trump initially wrote just one word in response to the member of his administration who wrote an anonymous op-ed for the New York Times on Wednesday. And he didn’t even seem sure that it was the right word.

That word is “TREASON,” which Trump punctuated in his tweet with a question mark.

The Times op-ed, written by a Republican official, lauds efforts of the administration to move conservative policy forward while blasting Trump as a “reckless” leader.

But despite Trump’s gut reaction, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) quickly pointed out that the piece does not actually qualify as treason under the Constitution’s definition.

Vox confirmed this with an in-depth explainer. Basically, to be treasonous, the op-ed author would have had to levy war against the U.S. or provide help to a foreign entity already at war with the U.S., neither of which were accomplished by the essay.

Twitter, meanwhile, has already appropriated “TREASON?” for various meme purposes.

https://twitter.com/DynamicWebPaige/status/1037471775083261952

Trump followed up his “TREASON?” tweet with another questioning whether the op-ed author was really just a “phony source.” If not, he demanded, the author must come forward “for National Security purposes.”

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*First Published: Sep 5, 2018, 7:14 pm CDT