Debunking the Dumb Good Trump Bad Trump Meme
Lies and logical fallacies don’t make strong arguments. They only divide good-faith patriots. This meme distorts Trump’s record with false binaries and internet myths. Here's a breakdown of what it gets wrong.
🔴 Top Panel (the “good Trump” list):
"America First" This is Trump’s core brand. His trade, immigration, and foreign policy consistently emphasized national sovereignty, economic independence, and prioritizing American interests. That said, “America First” doesn't mean isolationism...it includes strong alliances when they serve U.S. goals.
“Free Speech” – Trump has been a vocal opponent of censorship, especially by Big Tech and universities. While he didn't dismantle Section 230 or fully regulate tech monopolies, his administration pushed for transparency and supported lawsuits against suppression of conservative voices.
“No more wars” – Trump never promised to end all wars. His doctrine is peace through strength, not pacifism. He opposed regime change and endless wars, yes...but also ramped up strikes when needed (e.g., Soleimani).
“No foreign aid” – He never called for eliminating all foreign aid. He questioned unconditional aid and emphasized “America First,” but aid to Israel and other allies continued under his administration.
“Ron Paul & Massie” – Trump has never endorsed Ron Paul’s full libertarian agenda. He’s been cordial with Massie at times, but also criticized him (notably in 2020) for bucking stimulus bills.
“Epstein / JFK / MLK files” – Trump released some JFK files, but not all. As for Epstein, the DOJ under him prosecuted Ghislaine Maxwell. Suggesting he “covered it up” is baseless.
🔵 Bottom Panel (the “bad Trump” list):
“Israel First” – False dichotomy. Supporting Israel doesn't mean betraying America First. Trump pursued mutual interests, brokered historic peace deals (Abraham Accords), and reduced U.S. troop deployments elsewhere.
“Deporting dissent” – That’s simply untrue. There is no policy under Trump that deported U.S. citizens or lawful residents for their opinions.
“More tax dollars to Bibi” – Trump did support strong U.S.-Israel ties, moved the embassy to Jerusalem, and facilitated the Abraham Accords. However, U.S. aid to Israel remained consistent with prior commitments made under previous administrations. He did not significantly increase aid levels, nor did he send new aid packages directly benefiting Netanyahu’s political campaigns. His approach was strategic: cement alliances without new entanglements.
“War with Iran” – Even after the latest U.S. strike on Iran, this is not a war. It’s a targeted action rooted in the America First principle of preventing a nuclear-armed Iran. Just as with the Soleimani strike, Trump rejects full-scale invasions or regime change. Airstrikes to neutralize existential threats are not war...they are deterrence.
“Primarying Massie” – Trump did endorse a primary challenger against Massie in 2020...but it was over a specific policy disagreement, not some conspiracy to silence dissent.
“Talking about Epstein is antisemitic” – That’s not something Trump has ever said. This line appears to conflate online discourse with Trump’s own words, which is unfair and misleading.