Trump 'accidentally admits' he's fascist on Twitter

US President retweeted then deleted tweet by critic

NEW YORK: President Donald Trump likes to tweet early in the morning - often while watching television. But on Tuesday, he may have hit the button a bit too quickly.

From Trump Tower in New York, where he is spending a few days, the Republican leader retweeted a message from a man who called him a 'fascist.' It took him about 20 minutes to delete it.



The man was replying to a Fox News tweet about the possibility that Trump could issue a pardon to Joe Arpaio, the former Arizona sheriff who has courted controversy - and earned a conviction - over his tough stance on immigrants.

"He's a fascist, so not unusual," tweeted Mike Holden, referring to the 45th president.

He's a fascist, so not unusual.

— Mike Holden (@MikeHolden42) August 15, 2017

Not long after, Trump retweeted the message to his more than 35 million followers.

It may be a cover for earlier, when I called him a fascist & he RTd it... pic.twitter.com/UEMGRLxW6B

— Mike Holden (@MikeHolden42) August 15, 2017

"I'm announcing my retirement from Twitter. I'll never top this RT," Holden wrote later on.

I'm announcing my retirement from Twitter. I'll never top this RT. pic.twitter.com/HuGHkiPoyR

— Mike Holden (@MikeHolden42) August 15, 2017

He then added this ironic description to his Twitter profile: "Officially Endorsed by the President of the United States. I wish that were a good thing."

SCREENGRAB

Trump had another Twitter mishap early Tuesday, retweeting - and also deleting - a drawing showing a CNN journalist crushed by the "Trump Train."



The missteps come at a delicate moment for the American president, who has been sharply criticized for his initial failure to explicitly condemn a weekend rally by white supremacists in Virginia that ended in bloodshed.

On Monday, Trump eventually denounced racism as 'evil' and singled out the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis as "criminals and thugs" - but not before Republicans and Democrats alike lamented that it took him two days to do so.