Trump retweets, then deletes, cartoon of train smashing CNN logo

close

Video

Trump tweets base is stronger than ever despite 'fake news'

Judith Miller and Joe Concha break down the president's vacation tweetstorm

President Trump’s Twitter feed briefly featured a cartoon image Tuesday morning of a “Trump Train” smashing into a person with a CNN logo for a face.

The president, though, was evidently having a difficult morning on Twitter – he soon deleted the retweet, along with another from someone who called him a “fascist.”

A White House official said the CNN image retweet was "inadvertently posted and as soon it was noticed it was immediately deleted." But the president was swiftly criticized in the media for sharing the cartoon just days after a protester at a white nationalist rally was killed by a car attack in Virginia.

The cartoon itself was similar in nature to the GIF he shared in July which essentially showed him wrestling a CNN logo. The image that was retweeted and later deleted Tuesday said, “FAKE NEWS CAN’T STOP THE TRUMP TRAIN.”

The headline tracked with Trump’s message a day earlier, when he sparred at the White House with CNN’s Jim Acosta and traded charges of “fake news” at the end of a brief appearance focused on China’s trade practices.

TRUMP TRADES BARBS WITH CNN STAR JIM ACOSTA

Acosta had asked why Trump wasn’t holding a press conference despite indications to the contrary, to which Trump responded he “just had a press conference.” But Acosta wanted to know if the media could ask more questions.

Trump responded, “It doesn't bother me at all, but you know, I like real news, not fake news. You're fake news.”

Acosta later said on Twitter, “The president said we just had a press conference. We did not. That's fake news.”

The CNN image wasn’t the only deleted retweet on Trump’s account Tuesday morning. He also briefly retweeted somebody who said, “he’s a fascist.”

The Twitter user, @MikeHolden42, later tweeted, “I'm announcing my retirement from Twitter. I'll never top this RT.”

Trump deleted the retweet.

The exchange was apparently in reference to Trump’s retweet of a Fox News article about the possibility he could pardon former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio. The Twitter user seemed to subsequently suggest his “fascist” comment was directed at Trump.

On Monday, Trump also retweeted, Jack Posobiec, a conservative who has promoted the “pizzagate” conspiracy theory. This particular tweet was in reference to Chicago violence.