Despite being 71-years-old and the current President of the United States, Donald Trump's reaction to criticism is somewhat reminiscent of a 10-year-old bully who has been chastised in front of his whole class: namely, he doesn't refrain from throwing all the punches, despite being wholly aware that it's only going to land him in deeper trouble. As such, the US President thought it would be a great idea to tweet a racist slur just hours after his Twitter account was reactivated. On Friday, rebellious former Twitter employee took it upon themselves to shut down Donald Trump's account. To commemorate it being down for 11 minutes, Trump decided to refer to the Democrat senator, Elizabeth Warren as "Pocahontas", in reference to her Native American lineage. "I do regret calling her Pocahontas, because I think it’s a tremendous insult to Pocahontas. So to Pocahontas, I would like to apologise to you." Not only was Trump's response incredibly disrespectful and arrogant, but it was also worrying as he had clearly failed to see the ramifications of making such an insensitive, and hurtful comment. Thankfully, the people of the Internet were quick to condemn Trump's use of term on Friday. One user wrote, "That is racist. Fyi. I mean, I get you are racist, but as a learning opportunity for others...", while another corroborated, "Got the racism going early this morning, eh, #Dotard?" [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/jgaustin327/status/926427740793864195]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/eJoelWatts/status/926417643590037504]] Earlier on Friday, Donald Trump's Twitter account was taken down for 11 glorious minutes, prompting people from all over the world to rejoice. However, while people were quick to assume that Trump had finally been suspended from the social media platform, access was quickly restored. Twitter announced that the account was deactivated by one rather rebellious employee who was working their last day at the company. The application issued a response which read, "We have learned that this was done by a Twitter customer-support employee who did this on the employee's last day. We are conducting a full internal review." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/TwitterGov/status/926267806261407744]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/bristolptd/status/926242250966913025]] Well there you go, Donald Trump was back for 11 minutes and he didn't wait one second before alienating a whole group of people. Some people never change, eh?

As president, Donald Trump has struggled to play the role of consoler-in-chief. After calling a pregnant widow, she said he couldn't remember her dead husband's name and "made her cry even worse." After Hurricane Maria pummeled Puerto Rico, he bashed the Mayor on Twitter and hurled paper towels at the victims like he was playing a game. And after the deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, he posed with the first responders for a photo, grinning, with two thumbs up, like he was cutting the ribbon on a new hotel.

Time after time, President Trump has shown a stunning lack of empathy. This trend continued when he met with the teenage survivors of the Florida shooting for a listening session. It's commendable that the President met with the kids, whose powerful voices have ignited a passionate national debate about gun control. However, the cameras caught a glimpse of his cue cards, which included prompts to say basic things like "I hear you." Critics slammed him for needing a cheat sheet to simulate human reactions.

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At the Parkland massacre,  Stoneman Douglas High School senior Samantha Fuentes was shot in both legs, and still has shrapnel lodged behind her eye. In an interview with The New York Times, she says that President Trump visited her in the hospital, and she had "never been so unimpressed by a person in [her] life."

"He said he heard that I was a big fan of his, and then he said, ‘I’m a big fan of yours too.’ I’m pretty sure he made that up.

"Talking to the president, I’ve never been so unimpressed by a person in my life. He didn’t make me feel better in the slightest."

She adds that Trump called the gunman a “sick puppy” and said “‘oh boy, oh boy, oh boy,’ like, seven times.”

It sounds like the President could have used his Cliff Notes.

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To be fair, Trump also visited Andrew Pollack, whose daughter, Meadow, died in the shooting, and the grieving father had nothing but good things to say about the experience:

"He showed us nothing but love. The guy really cared, you know? He flew us in, he had a bus waiting for us, he made time for us.

He took pictures of my daughter that we brought, and he said he was going to look at it every day.

He’s a regular guy. I wouldn’t have been there if I didn’t think he cared."

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Another participant in the White House listening session, 18-year-old Sam Zeif, said he felt stung by the President's cue cards and cold body language:

"Everything I said was directly from the heart, and he had to write down ‘I hear you.'

"Half the time during that meeting, his arms were crossed — I kept wanting to say, ‘Mr. President, uncross your arms.’ To me, that is the international sign for closemindedness; it’s really just a big ‘no.’”

"He may have heard us, but he’s never going to feel what we feel, because his kids are protected by the people that came to save me and my classmates that day."

For a man who strives to be so impressive, stamping his golden name on glitzy buildings, he's sure lacking in some ways.

Speaking about feminism at a beauty pageant sounds almost as oxymoronic as going to the desert to catch fish - and yet it happens (the feminism, not the fish-catching). Historically, the contests are known for objectifying women, and judging them on the purely aesthetic bases of who has the prettiest face, or the best butt, or the whitest smile - but that hasn't stopped some contestants from speaking their mind on more important issues. For instance, earlier this year, Miss America contestant Margana Wood made headlines after speaking about Donald Trump's reaction to the Charlottesville protests. When one of the judges asked what she thought of the president's handling of the issue, the 22-year-old beauty queen said: "I think that the white supremacist issue, it was very obvious, that it was a terrorist attack. And I think that President Donald Trump should’ve made a statement earlier addressing the fact, and in making sure all Americans feel safe in this country. That is the number one issue right now." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/MissAmerica/status/907073729359785985]] In Peru, however, contestants at a beauty pageant have gone one step further: not only using their platforms to discuss politics, but to make those political issues the central focus of their performance onstage. Rather than giving their bust, waist and hip measurements, as contestants would normally do when called to the front of the stage, the beauty queens used the opportunity to present harrowing statistics about the problems still faced by women in the districts they represented. Here is what some of them had to say:

"My name is Camila Canicoba and I represent the department of Lima. My measurements are: 2,202 cases of femicide reported in the last nine years in my country."

"My name is Melina Machuca, I represent the department of Cajamarca, and my measurements are: more than 80% of women in my city suffer from violence."

"Almendra Marroquín here. I represent Cañete, and my measurements are: more than 25% of girls and teenagers are abused in their schools."

But the political statements didn't end there. In a later segment of the competition, the women were paraded out in their bathing suits, which has often been considered the most degrading part of any beauty contest. However, in this particular pageant, the purposes of the swimsuit display were flipped: showing nudity was not something to be considered taboo or sexual, but as a demonstration of women's ownership over their own bodies. "Women can walk out naked if they want to. Naked. It’s a personal decision," said Jessica Newton, a former beauty queen, and organiser of the Miss Peru pageant. "If I walk out in a bathing suit I am just as decent as a woman who walks out in an evening dress." Moreover, in the final segment, participants were quizzed on what laws they'd like to change in order to tackle the high rates of "femicide" - women being murdered because of their gender. In an interview online, Newton said that "Everyone who does not denounce and everyone who does not do something to stop this is an accomplice." While it's easy to think that western society has achieved gender equality, and feminism is no longer necessary, it's important to remember those who are still suffering. Violence against women in Peru is startlingly high, but it's good to see women taking a stand for the issues which still affect them and millions of others across the globe.

Earlier this week, the entire country was shocked as a lone gunman opened fire on a South Florida high school, killing 17 people and injuring 15 others. The suspected shooter is 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, who was arrested and charged shortly after the attack on Wednesday, and the shooting (which is already the 18th of its kind in 2018) has brought the issue of gun control in America back into sharp focus. In the wake of the attack, Donald Trump has waded into the issue, giving his insights on the death and tragedy that day, but the president is once again under fire for his comments following the attack, implying in a tweet that mental health issues were to blame for a teenager opening fire on a high school. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/964110212885106689]] Not only are Trump's comments slightly wide of the mark (Cruz was actually reported to authorities several times - including the FBI - before the fateful shooting, to no avail), but they've also drawn criticism from Cruz's former classmates. One of them has spoken out passionately against the president and his outspoken views. This is Emma Gonzalez, who took the podium at a rally in Fort Lauderdale Federal Courthouse, where more than 1,000 community members gathered to discuss the importance of gun control. “There’s one tweet that I would like to call attention to,” Gonzalez said, as she refuted the idea that this all could've been prevented by reporting “bad and erratic behavior” to authorities. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/JoshuaChavers/status/964935557318152192]] “We did. Time and time again. Since [the accused shooter Nikolas Cruz] was in middle school,” said Gonzalez, before taking aim at certain corners of society who somehow saw it fit to blame the victims of the school shooting for failing to integrate him into their groups. “Those talking about how we should have not ostracized him, you didn’t know this kid! OK? We did. We know that they are claiming that there are mental health issues, and I am not a psychologist, but we need to pay attention to the fact that this is not just a mental health issue.” Next, Gonzalez took aim at the lack of progress concerning gun control in the United States, noting that “he wouldn’t have harmed that many students with a knife”. She called out Donald Trump for his comments, and questioned the authenticity of his words in light of his views with the National Rifle Association. “If the president wants to come up to me and tell me to my face that it was a terrible tragedy, and how it should never have happened, and maintain telling us how nothing is going to be done about it, I’m going to happily ask him how much money he received from the National Rifle Association." Conservative politicians who have taken funding from the NRA in the past have again come under fire following Wednesday's tragedy, while Trump himself received as much as $30.3 million from the association during his successful 2016 Presidential campaign. In her speech, Gonzalez reflected the thoughts of many Americans around the world when she called for the end to the hypocrisy when it came to gun control in the United States. "To every politician who is taking donations from the NRA, shame on you! Shame on you! Politicians who sit in their gilded House and Senate seats funded by the NRA telling us nothing could have been done to prevent this: We call BS!” Gun control is, and will continue to be, a contentious issue in the United States, but as the incidents grow more frequent, the body counts start to rise and nothing continues to be done, there will surely be more tragic speeches in the vein of Emma Gonzalez's here, and perhaps then we will start to see a change.

Donald Trump can’t seem to keep Taylor Swift’s name out of his mouth.

The President of the United States took another bizarre jab at the pop superstar this week, posting yet another bizarre Truth Social post - this time, appearing to attack Swift’s looks.

The post comes eight months after the POTUS declared he "hates" the 'Look What You Made Me Do' singer after she voiced her support for Trump's political and presidential rival, Kamala Harris, amid the election race.

Now, it looks like Trump believes his comments have had a deeper impact on Swift.

“Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’” the 78-year-old posted Friday (May 16), setting social media ablaze - with critics slamming Trump over the comment.

Trump took yet another shot at Swift. Credit: Truth Social

"Imagine being such a bitter piece of s**t that you feel the need to tweet this out," one X user wrote.

A second echoed: "Really? You’re an 80 year old man concerned about the popularity of someone half your age?"

"No, she's still hot, but you're not," a third tweeted, with another adding: "I love that Taylor lives rent free in your mind!! Taylor sold out arenas around the world!"

It was just the latest in a string of personal insults Trump has hurled Swift’s way — some in speeches, others online — many of them seemingly fueled by his frustration over her increasingly vocal political influence.

From “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” to “How did that work out?”

Trump first declared his distaste for Swift in September 2024, blasting her on Truth Social just hours after she announced her support for the Harris/Walz ticket.

Swift previously voiced support for Kamala Harris. Credit: Kevin Mazur / Getty

“I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,” he wrote in all caps.

At the time, he claimed Swift’s political leanings would damage her brand. “She seems to always endorse a Democrat. And she’ll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace,” he alleged.

Days later, he doubled down during a Fox & Friends appearance, saying: “I was not a Taylor Swift fan. It was just a question of time. ... But she’s a very liberal person.”

By February, his attacks had spilled into public events. During the Eagles' post-Super Bowl visit to the White House, Trump made sure to remind everyone he and Swift were both at the game where the Chiefs — led by Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce — were defeated.

“I was there along with Taylor Swift,” he told the crowd, before twisting the knife: “How did that work out?” He repeated the line as the audience laughed. It marked the first time a sitting US president had ever attended a Super Bowl in person.

Obsession on repeat

Swift’s high-profile appearances at Chiefs games throughout the NFL season sparked endless political commentary. Fans questioned why the spotlight was on her rather than the games themselves.

At the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans, where both Trump and Swift attended, Eagles fans were seen booing the singer.

Trump wasted no time jumping on the moment. He reposted a screenshot from the Libs of TikTok account showing crowd reactions to both him and Swift, with the caption: “Trump gets massive cheers at the Super Bowl while Taylor Swift gets booed – The world is healing.”

Shortly afterward, he trolled her again — this time with a doctored image showing Swift holding a flag that read: “Trump won, Democrats cheated!”

Taylor Swift was savagely booed as she watched the Chiefs vs the Eagles at the Super Bowl. Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Even months into his second term, Trump was still fuming over her influence.

Springsteen Gets Dragged Too

Swift wasn’t the only celebrity in Trump’s firing line this week. Just 40 minutes after his latest jab at her, the President set his sights on Bruce Springsteen, who had recently blasted Trump’s administration during a concert in Manchester, England.

“I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States,” Trump wrote.

Trump would also take a shot at Bruce Springsteen. Credit: Truth Social

“This dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that’s just ‘standard fare’. Then we’ll all see how it goes for him!”

Earlier in his post, Trump had also ripped the singer as “a pushy, obnoxious JERK,” “dumb as a rock,” and “not a talented guy.”

He accused Springsteen of backing “Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL,” and claimed the U.S. “would have been GONE by now” if he hadn’t won the election.

Springsteen had told the Manchester crowd: “The America I love, the America I've written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.”

Swiftie Family Ties

Despite Trump’s ongoing attacks, not everyone in the Trump family is anti-Swift. Ivanka Trump and her daughter Arabella are self-declared Swifties. The pair were spotted at a Miami stop of the Eras Tour, and Arabella recently celebrated her 13th birthday with a Taylor Swift-themed party.

Arabella Trump with her Swift-themed birthday cake. Credit: Instagram/IvankaTrump

“Best cake for my favorite Swiftie,” Ivanka posted alongside a heart-shaped cake decorated with lyrics from Swift’s song 'Blank Space'.

The irony hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Featured image credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty