Top Tweets of January 2018

January 1st

The first day of 2018, as any new year’s day, contained many Tweets wishing humanity a better year. Civil rights activist and Congressmen John Lewis Tweeted, “Wishing everyone a happy New Year. May we all resolve to live each day with purpose and hope, never forgetting that the way of peace and the way of love is the better way. #goodtrouble” The first day of the new year contained lots of turmoil halfway across the world, as the Iranian people stormed the streets of their country to protest their country's economic situation, America’s leaders were quick to jump to conclusions. One Tweeter stated, “People in DC have decided that whatever is going on in Iran its definitely about them.” Another Tweeter responded with a copy of John McCain’s Tweet that stated “For too long, the Iranian people have been oppressed by their government, which cares more about sowing instability abroad than its own citizens.”, but the Tweeter crossed out the word “Iranian” and instead replaced it with “American”. Another interesting Tweet was that of the activist Deray McKesson, he Tweeted, “I’ve found that the people who ‘play all sides’ eventually get played in the end. The world does not need you to pretend to be a neutral party on everything. Stand for the things & people you believe in.” -- This Tweet received 23K likes.

January 2nd

On January second, Trump Tweeted, “Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!”. One Tweeter responded with “Soon he’ll take credit for the air we breath.” Journalist Kurt Eichenwald also responded to the President’s Tweet with, “I'm sorry, I can't get past this. @realDonaldTrump @POTUS is taking credit for no domestic airline crashes. How can ppl not see this is insane? Particularly since there have been no domestic airline crashes since 09. And none of a domestic airline you've ever heard of since 2001.” This was also the day when former Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, announced that he might run for Senate, CNN political contributor Brian Fallon Tweeted, “Mitt Romney may run for Senate? I thought failed presidential candidates were only allowed to take up knitting.” -- This Tweet received 37K likes. This was a very interesting day, especially with regards to our president, who tweeted about the size of his nuclear button compared to North Korea’s leader, and his new award for “THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR”.

January 3rd

On January 3rd the craziness continued, former Michigan Congressman Tweeted, “The @realDonaldTrump Doctrine: Speak bigly and carry a soft stick.”, he was mocking President Theodore Roosevelt's slogan of “Speak softly and carry and big stick”. NPR’s “It’s Been A Minute” host Sam Sanders reflected everyone’s fear by Tweeting, “Wakes up. Checks Twitter for new threats of nuclear war. Sees none. Makes coffee.” Journalist Matt Viser Tweeted, “Steve Bannon is, among other things, calling the president’s son ‘treasonous.’ President Trump says his former top adviser has ‘lost his mind.’ Paul Manafort is suing Bob Mueller. Bill and Hillary Clinton’s home in Chappaqua is on fire. It’s only the third day of 2018.” This Tweet pretty much summed up the whole day.

January 4th-8th

The first week of 2018 was very hectic, here’s some other interesting Tweets during it. On January 4th, after Fox News journalist Tomi Lahren appeared on TV to state, “In other places around the world, people are rising up for more rights, more speech and this president supports it.”, producer Soledad O’Brien responded with, “Except if they're athletes, kneeling to protest inequality and police brutality. We see you, girl.” On January 5th, after the release of “Fire and Fury” by Michael Wolff, a book which questions the mental stability of the president, comedian Michael Ian Black Tweeted, “Does it trouble anybody else that the biggest story right now is whether or not the President of the United States is sane?” And after Donald Trump Tweeted that he’s “like really smart” and “a very stable genius”, CNN chief National Security Correspondent Tweeted, “I’m old enough to remember when the biggest story of the week was Trump’s nuclear button tweet.”. On January 6th, journalist David Frum Tweeted, “The president actually had a press conference to deny being stupid?”. On January 7th, after a chaotic interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper and the president’s senior advisor, Stephen Miller, Author Nicolle Wallace Tweeted, “I’ve known @jaketapper for more than 15 Years and have been a friend and a source, and at times a guest on his air - what he achieved today combined years of journalistic integrity, human restraint and presence of mind that very few people possess.” The 7th was also the day when Americans, after listening to her Golden Globes speech, finally realized that Oprah would be a great president. So that pretty much sums up the first week of 2018, hopefully the following weeks won’t be as… turbulent. (foreshadowing: they will).

January 9th

On the 9th, after former white house chief strategist Steve Bannon resigned out of the far right American website, Breitbart, NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” host, Peter Sagal Tweeted, “Right now, there exists a person in the greater DC area who, an unknown number of months from now, will order an Uber and be picked up by Steve Bannon”. Also on this day, California Representative Adam Schiff Tweeted, “@POTUS is threatening to deport the Dreamers if he doesn’t get $18 billion in taxpayer money for his wall. I’m no genius, but wasn’t Mexico paying for that?” -- This Tweet got 59K likes.

January 10th

The 10th was a relatively normal day on Twitter, one Tweet that stood out to me was that of CNN contributor, Ana Navarro’s, after former law enforcement officer Joe Arpaio, announced his run for the senate, she Tweeted, “Joe Arpaio disgusts me in every possible way. But part of me would like to see him run, just so I could see Arizona give him the Roy Moore treatment and reject a bigoted has-been.” --her Tweet received 38K likes.

January 11th

On January 11th, Donald Trump allegedly referred to residents of Haiti and African countries as, people from “sh*thole” countries. Editor for The Weekly Standard, Bill Kristol, responded to this with, “Two weeks ago a 26-year old soldier raced repeatedly into a burning Bronx apartment building, saving four people before he died in the flames. His name was Pvt. Emmanuel Mensah and he immigrated from Ghana, a country Donald Trump apparently thinks produces very subpar immigrants.” Another Tweeters responded with, “Does anyone think they could walk into work and spout off with things like “sh*thole” and “grab them by the pu**y” and still keep their job?” After Tomi Lahren Tweeted, “If they aren’t shithole countries, why don’t their citizens stay there? Let’s be honest. Call it like it is.”, African Bureau Chief for the Washington Post, Kevin Sieff respond with, “Hey Tomi, Washington Post shithole bureau chief here. Love your foreign affairs reporting. Did you know there are 8.7 million Americans living overseas? Can’t imagine why they would leave home.”. Also, the host of “The Kyle Kulinski Show”, Kyle Kulinski Tweeted, “we're bombing 8 different countries, half the US makes $30k a year or less, we have the worst healthcare in the developed world, 45k die each year from lack of coverage, we have $1.2T in student loan debt, our infrastructure gets a D+. don't talk about 'sh*thole countries'”. Those Tweets are only a few examples of the enormous opposition that the President received after his comments.

January 12th

January 12th was another rare day, it was rather calm and peaceful. One interesting Tweet was that of activist Amy Siskind, after House Speaker Paul Ryan responded to the president’s “sh*thole” comment by saying that it was “very unfortunate” she Tweeted, “‘Unfortunate’ is when your car is supposed to be ready at 3, but the garage says they need it for another hour. This is not unfortunate. Do much better @SpeakerRyan - another complicit coward.”

January 13th

So January 13th was the day in which a US state, Hawaii, was mistakenly told that it’s residents we’re about to get hit with a nuclear missile. That doesn’t happen everyday, so this day was very interesting. After the President remained silent about the situation, journalist Kurt Eichenwald Tweeted, “Unreal. @potus instantly tweets about whatever he hears on Fox & Friends, or to proclaim he is a stable genius and the greatest, but when an ACTUAL presidential situation arises, when he could use twitter to IMMEDIATELY tell Hawaii there was no incoming nuke, he just kept golfing.”. Another Tweeter commented on the situation by saying, “Everyone who was scared/freaked out by the Hawaii missile amber alert, that is how people in the Middle East feel everyday.”

January 14th

The last day of the second week of 2018 was a continuation of Twitter craziness. After the president announced that he is “not a racist”, and Senator Rand Paul defended him, AMJoy host, Joy Reid, Tweeted, “Rand Paul, who said he would have opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, has decided to become Donald Trump's character witness on racism. Yeah, everything is fine now.” Another impressive Tweet was that of W. Kamau Bell’s, host of United Shades of America, he Tweeted, “President Trump, Tomorrow, I'm performing at Indiana University to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. & every time I think I'm done writing my show you say something that makes me rewrite it. So can you please save some racism for Tuesday so I can go to bed? Thanks!”. American model, Christine Teigen made a good point when she Tweeted, “trump became president the same year people started eating tide pods”.

January 15th

Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On this special day, MLK’s daughter and activist Bernice King Tweeted, “As you honor my father today, please remember and honor my mother, as well. She was the architect of the King Legacy and founder of @TheKingCenter, which she founded two months after Daddy died. Without #CorettaScottKing, there would be no #MLKDay. #MLK50Forward #MLK”. Also on this day, after the B/R Kicks account Tweeted a picture advertising a new shoe who contains MLK’s “I Have a Dream Speech”, a Tweeter responded with, “Shoes worth hundreds of dollars, made by low wage laborers, advertised as necessities to low income Black and Brown youth and sold in a capitalist, war mongering nation is not at all the dream Dr. King had” Also, after VP Mike Pence Tweeted a statement promoting MLK ideals of equality, a Tweeter responded with, “You angrily walked out of a football game when you saw black players protesting racism” - this Tweet received 108K likes.

January 16th

On January 16th, after the president's “excellent” health report, MSNBC host Chris Hayes Tweeted, “Has anyone coined "girther" for those who believe the president weighs more than his doctor reports?”. And former Michigan Congressman John Dingell Tweeted, “Stunned to hear the White House doctor confirm the presence of both a heart and spine.” This day was also the birthday of the creator of the Musical “Hamilton”, Lin Manuel Miranda. Twitter exploded with tweets wishing him a wonderful birthday, including this one, “hi @Lin_Manuel. You do such good in the world. You are a lighthouse and a leader and a passionate advocate for the heart-full life. Yay you were born. Aren't we lucky. Happy birthday my friend. X”

January 17th

On Wednesday, many were questioning the existence of the president’s “Fake New Awards” after a Tweeter asked about the time of the award ceremony, American model Christine Teigen responded with, “All of us are wondering that over here. It’s almost like he....lied??” Also on this day, writer Jess Dweck Tweeted, “I miss when our president was a constitutional law professor and not a guy who had to take a test to make sure he knows what a lion looks like”.

January 18th

On Thursday, the threat of a government shutdown was becoming increasingly likely, CNN contributor Brian Fallon Tweeted, “Recap of how we got here: 1 Trump rescinds DACA, demands Congress act within 6 months. 2 Senate forms bipartisan talks on DACA. 3 Trump promises to sign whatever group comes up with. 4 Group reaches bipartisan deal. 5 Trump does 180, rejects deal, leaving DACA kids to be deported.” Activist Denizcan James also Tweeted about the shutdown by saying, “Here's an idea: The government should shut down and be replaced by another government. And everyone is happy”.

January 19th

On Friday, After Donald Trump Jr. Tweeted, “Prediction: Democrats will take an even stronger stance on shutting down the govt so that becomes the narrative rather than talking about the release of the apparently very damaging memo. Media will obviously be complicit in helping them! #releasethememo”, Pod Save America host, Jon Favreau Tweeted, “I can’t believe his shoes end up tied every day.” Also today, journalist Christina Wilkie Tweeted, “Trump just made history, many ways. First president to preside over a govt shutdown while his party controls the House, Senate and White House AND first president to preside over a shutdown on the first anniversary of his inauguration AND earliest shutdown ever in a presidency.” - this Tweet received 102K likes.

January 20th

On Saturday, in the midst of a government shutdown, NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” host, Peter Sagal Tweeted, “Historical note: during the 1995 shutdown, the Clinton WH ordered pizza and a new intern named Monica was asked to bring it into to the President...
If McDonalds delivers, this could all come crashing down next year.” Also on this day, an enormous women’s march took place in cities all over the country, New Jersey Senator, Cory Booker Tweeted about the event by saying, “My love goes out to the #WomensMarch2018 – I'm with you in spirit. Unfortunately, because of the #TrumpShutdown I'm in the Capitol fighting for a solution that gets the government up & running while protecting our military, CHIP funding, Dreamers & more. We will prevail,”.

January 21st

Sunday was day two of the government shutdown, the shutdown was largely blamed on the lack of negotiation on immigration, when many politicians pointed out that since Stephen Miller is partly in charge of negotiating the issue, there will be no progress, one Tweeter stated, “Stephen Miller is a white supremacist. The fact that we pay his salary is a stain on our democracy. All members of Congress should refuse to negotiate with him in the room.” Overall, this day was basically a huge argument between Democrats, who call the shutdown the “Trump Shutdown”, and Republicans, who call the shutdown the “Schumer Shutdown,”.

January 22nd

On Monday, after Donald Trump Tweeted, “The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favor of services and security for non-citizens. Not good!” a Tweeter responded with, “Your party voted against paying service members during a shutdown you created. Disgusting.”. Also on this day, a Tweeter suggested an amazing idea for Republicans, “Why don't the Republicans who want the border wall just start a GoFundMe. And if you donate more than $100 you get your name engraved on a piece of it. Like a memorial wall but for racists.”

January 23rd

On Tuesday, after a Kentucky school shooting, activist Denizcan James‏ Tweeted, “This is how desensitized we are to school shootings. CNN broke in to say there was a school shooting in Kentucky, then proceeded two minutes later to talk about the Russian probe.” Another Tweeter commented on the shooting by stating, “Dear @realDonaldTrump,
You're eerily silent about the 16 teenagers who were shot today at Marshall County High School in Kentucky. NRA took your phone? Signed, America”

January 24th

On Wednesday, Larry Nassar, serial child sexual abuser and former USA gymnastics nation doctor, was sentenced to 40-175 years in prison, one Tweeter commented on the sentencing, “Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said to one of Larry Nassar's victim: ‘The monster who took advantage of you is going to wither, much like the scene in the 'Wizard of Oz' where the water gets poured on the witch and the witch withers away,that's what's going to happen to him.’”

January 25th

On Thursday, after the President said he was willing to speak to Mueller under oath, Stephen Colbert Tweeted, “Mueller, a few weeks from now: ‘Thank you for sitting down for this interview, Mr. President. First, I'm going to ask you to point to anyone in this room who you regret not firing.’”. Also today, after a report come out with a jawbone discovery in Israel suggesting that humans migrated from Africa more than 50,000 years than previously thought, one Tweeter Tweeted, “I'm really surprised this information didn't get suppressed, because to admit that Africans lived in Israel before anyone else is also admitting that..........” -- this Tweet received 84K likes.
January 26th

On Friday, after a Tweeter targeted New Jersey Senator Cory Booker by telling him that he would never become president, Booker responded with, “And that is OK. Life is about purpose not position. I am proud to serve. May both you and I be so busy in serving others that we have little time to criticize others. All the best to you.” Also today, after increased talks of the President firing Mueller, one Tweeter stated, “Does Trump have the legal authority to personally fire Mueller? No. Mueller can be removed ‘#only by the personal action of the Attorney General.’”

January 27th

Saturday was Holocaust Memorial day, the daughter of MLK Tweeted, “ Remember the Holocaust. Never forget how it came to be: little by little...hateful rhetoric, fear-mongering, visible designations of discrimination, radically inhumane nationalism, white supremacy...all festering until reality reflected rhetoric, until..” Another activist Tweeted, ““The Holocaust did not begin with killing; it began with words.’” CNN contributor Ana Navarro also Tweeted, “One way to remember the Holocaust and honor the millions of lives lost, is to actively stand against intolerance, racism, anti-semitism, and bigotry in any way. When they come for one of us, they come for all of us.”