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Salon
Salon
Politics
Brandon Gage

Trump Jr. "sacrificed privilege"

Donald Trump Jr. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Donald Trump Junior claimed during an appearance at the Reawaken America Tour in Virginia Beach, Virginia on Saturday that he sacrificed a life of effortless privilege to serve the cause of freedom in the United States.

"Taking the easy route is easy," Junior said. "It would have been easier, as I said, to just build buildings in New York, be loved by everyone, not get involved, not get in the game, but I couldn't do that and live with myself, frankly. I believe in this stuff too much. I appreciate those freedoms."

Prior to his father Donald Trump assuming the presidency in January 2017, Junior enjoyed the bountiful life of a billionaire trust fund heir. Having always sought to please and impress his cantankerous patriarch, Junior selflessly stepped in as the executive vice president and public face of the now-disgraced Trump Organization when his dad became the 45th commander in chief.

Junior has not, however, erected any structure in New York in his own right, nor has he used his fortune to empower underprivileged communities. The Trumps, furthermore, have a lousy reputation in their home city. And Junior's subservience to the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen by President Joe Biden and the Left completely undercuts the idea that he champions democratic ideals. In fact, Junior has even boasted about how much assistance Trump's 2016 presidential campaign – as well as the family's real estate syndicate – accepted from Russia.

"In terms of high-end product influx into the US, Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets," he said in 2008.

Junior has bragged about "being a relatively good internet troll," indicating that promoting truth and acting in good faith are distantly secondary to the Trump brand's ambitions.

Thus, Junior's history led to an outpouring of scorn on Twitter.

"Jr. was never 'loved by everybody.' And he wasn't called to serve the American people. Is he running for something?" said David Badash of The New Civil Rights Movement.

"He could have taken the easy path? Maybe he can explain the hard path. Drop him into West Virginia and give him a coal shovel and a shack with no electricity or inside water," a perplexed user wrote.

"Legacy coattails riding is more like it," quipped another.

An observer shadily asked, "How exactly does Don Jr think he's serving the American people? By trying to single-handedly reduce the global cocaine supply?"

A third person simply noted that the "guy who was born on third base and gone through life thinking he hit a triple."

Someone else pointed out that "New Yorkers didn't like any of them."

Big Apple residents were not shy about their disdain either.

"As a Native New Yorker I know I speak for the many people in NYC. When the Trumps they say we love them my reply is... 'no we facking don't!'" one wrote. Why do you think they all absconded to Florida?

Additional questions ensued.

"Exactly what does he feel he was 'called' to do? Collecting money for guest appearances is not being 'called' to do anything. It's lining your pockets," an individual wondered aloud.

"Did he build any building?" a skeptical onlooker posited. "Seriously, I never heard he has accomplished anything."

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