Donald Trump has spent years turning political insults into a personal brand.
From ridiculing his opponents’ appearances to coining nicknames that resemble playground taunts, the president rarely misses a chance to land a cheap dig.
Yet his newest effort to reshape his image has one of his fiercest political adversaries reaching for the receipts.
Trump’s tendency to dish out insults has become so predictable that his critics scarcely have to await the next jab.
What makes his latest assertion even more noteworthy is that he seemingly expected the public to forget the countless times he publicly humiliated his political opponents.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom has made a sport of exposing Trump’s contradictions.
The two have traded barbs for more than a year, with the Democrat’s press office frequently turning the president’s own words into embarrassing social media moments.
Trump has even dubbed his rival “Gavin Newscum,” proving that their feud is anything but presidential.
Now Newsom’s team has caught Trump in another spectacular instance of double talk.
This time, the president appeared eager to persuade Americans that his approach to politics is far more diplomatic than his critics suggest. Unfortunately for Trump, his own words wouldn’t cooperate.
During an Oct. 14 interview with Gray Media correspondent Jon Decker, Trump offered an unusual explanation for how he handles people with whom he must negotiate.
“Look, I have to strike deals with people. So I don’t go around calling them names. I’m a deal-maker, I’ve always been a very good deal-maker,” Trump declared. “I became very rich because of deals. So I don’t go around mocking people.”
That newfound restraint lasted roughly an hour.
While campaigning in Arizona, Trump pivoted to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. “Katie Hobbs—she is a dumb person. I don’t give a damn,” he proclaimed.
Newsom’s press office promptly posted screenshots of both clips side by side on Threads, exposing the dramatic turnaround.
“Took 1 hour for the President to do the opposite of what he said … new record?” the account mocked.
The internet needed little invitation.
“He doesn’t even know what he’s saying from one minute to the next,” one Threads user wrote. Another observed, “An hour? He does it in the same breath: ‘I never attacked him on his look, and believe me, there’s plenty of subject matter right there.’”
X users were equally amused.
One commenter said, “… yall he truly has lost his damn mind we can play HOURS of footage of him mocking people.” Another noted, “Calling people names is all he does and it’s usually caught on camera.”
One critic offered a simple suggestion: “Run the tape.”
And the tape stretches back months.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also became the butt of a joke after Trump labeled him a “big fat slob” during a Thanksgiving ceremony in 2025.
In July of this year, Trump labeled Senator Adam Schiff “watermelon head” and “pencil neck,” while referring to his “fat, ugly head.”
In August, Trump had described New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman as an “unattractive person both inside and out” on Truth Social.
October brought another wave of attacks. Fox News personality Jessica Tarlov was branded a “loser,” while New York Attorney General Letitia James endured particularly vicious remarks.
Trump called James “that disgusting Leticia dog” on Oct. 9. Days later, he labeled her a “DIRTY AND DISGUSTING COP.” His insults have even overshadowed solemn occasions.
During a September ceremony honoring 9/11 victims and first responders, Trump repeated an unverified story about firefighters carrying him to safety near the World Trade Center.
“I’m not the smallest guy in the world,” he admitted, an revealing concession from someone who regularly mocks others’ weight.
Trump has also repeatedly referred to Democrats as “Dumocrats,” explaining his coined term during a May interview with Lara Trump.
Newsom’s office answered with its own vocabulary lesson: “Idiot ends with a T, but most people don’t know that. (The ‘T’ stands for Trump).”
For someone who claims he doesn’t mock people, Trump has certainly amassed an impressive trove of insults.
And Newsom seems determined to keep every receipt.
View on Threads
