'Tree hugger' Donald Trump gets mauled on Twitter over planting ceremony
Folks online called out President Donald Trump over his contempt for the environment after he took part in a tree-planting ceremony outside the White House on Monday.
Trump joined his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to symbolically shovel dirt around a young European sessile oak, which Macron brought as a gift to Trump during his state visit to the U.S.
The sapling was highly symbolic, as it came from Belleau Wood, some 60 miles northeast of Paris, which was the site of a World War I battle where more than 9,000 American Marines died in combat.
But on Twitter, many people noted how Trump’s participation in the planting could be seen as being at odds with his climate change-denying agenda.
Trump has previously called climate change a Chinese hoax, appointed climate change skepticScott Pruitt as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and in June announced his intention to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord.
Here’s how some people responded:
Macron bringing Trump a tree as a gift is the PERFECT way to troll him over leaving the Paris Climate Agreement. pic.twitter.com/GhfRDgBTIy
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) April 24, 2018
Very funny take on this #PhotoOpp, but planting a #tree is actually the best thing #Trump has ever done for the planet. I guess it was #Macron’s suggestion...
— 🇪🇺 Dr John 🏳️🌈 #BLM+N⭕️S (@jp_dutch) April 24, 2018
I threw a Jellybean into the hole when no one was looking so I can grow a Jellybean Tree. Smart! #Trump#Macron#MAGApic.twitter.com/vJ0KJ75PrO
— Dogald J. Trump (@dogaldtrump) April 24, 2018
Here's a still from from Lars von Trier's upcoming sci-fi epic "Melancholia: Rebirth," in which Trump and Macron save the Earth by reforesting golf courses that had removed too many trees during the Scottish links fad of the early 2010s. https://t.co/zH1f7Hy5PC
— Steve Sailer (@Steve_Sailer) April 24, 2018
Macron brought the tree and Trump brought the manure.
— Libertas 🇺🇸😷🌊 (@saneandreal) April 24, 2018
Scott Pruitt and Ryan Zinke to follow with Trump Administration's Ceremonial Chopping Down A Tree Then Lying About It. https://t.co/pjPZiUNY6w
— Karen DaltonBeninato (@kbeninato) April 23, 2018
Shoveling manure, as usual
— I only tweet nice things (@JonOsborneBooks) April 24, 2018
The two lowest branches look like tiny, tree hands about to strangle Trump. pic.twitter.com/6EF1B6eNny
— Amanda Mancino-Williams (@Manda_like_wine) April 23, 2018
A tree was planted today on the SL.
Staff: Sir, Macron would like to plant a tree before the state dinner.
Trump: Why?
Staff: Because we just had Earth Day.
Trump: Fine. Pick a spot. Just make sure my shovel is gold.
Tree: Someone save me! Trump is sending Pruitt to kill me! pic.twitter.com/gPG5r0hDzw— 🌉SusiBV_SF.CA_Native🌉 (@SusiBV) April 24, 2018
Are those gold plated shoves? I haven’t seen those at the gardening section of the Home Depot.
— Rick Ruiz🎱 (@RickSidekick86) April 24, 2018
Apparently Macron didn’t realize that Trump hates all things nature, including trees.
— Kimbro13 (@kimbro1360) April 24, 2018
Tree planting, showing the desk- big deal.
We'll know those two guys are bonding when Trump lets Macron watch Fox with him.— Quentin Hardy (@qhardy) April 24, 2018
Trump was probably fuming about being given a tree instead of something gold or gem-encrusted. Brilliant trolling on Macron’s part.
— Judi Green (@judigrn) April 24, 2018
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
