I do not like writing about Donald Trump, and I undoubtedly do not wish to write about his rattling diapers, however one of the crucial extensively unfold items of (possible) misinformation this week considerations the ex-president’s Pampers, so I’ll dig in. (retch)
In keeping with precise information sources like Sky Information and MSN, together with hundreds of Twitter/X accounts, Donald Trump’s followers have embraced their idol’s alleged incontinence and are strolling round rallies carrying spite-diapers and merchandise that proclaims “actual males put on diapers,” “Diaper Don,” and “diapers over Democrats.” However are they actually doing this? For that matter, does Donald Trump put on diapers within the first place? Nicely, relies upon. (See what I did there?)
The origin story of Von Sh*tzinPantz
The primary extensively unfold declare that that Donald Trump wears diapers was from slapstick comedian Noel Casler. Again in 2018, Casler, who says he labored on Trump’s actuality present The Apprentice, claimed that Trump “would typically soil himself” on the set. Was Casler telling the reality? It is onerous to say. This isn’t the form of scoop that prime journalists decrease themselves to chasing down, so we’ll get no assist there, nevertheless it’s value noting that nobody else who labored on The Apprentice, so far as I can inform, got here ahead to say “sure, this occurred,” regardless of Casler’s declare that it was frequent information on the set. Then again, Trump is well-known for his worker NDAs and who would wish to threat crossing a robust, litigious lunatic like Trump? On the other-other-hand, Donald Trump appears to be like like he is taking a dump on a regular basis. However finally, Diaper Don is unconfirmed.
It’s undoubtedly true {that a} rumor that Trump wears diapers and shits himself is extensively believed. It made its method into the official court docket file of Trump’s felony trial in New York this week within the type of a tweet from Michael Cohen that refers to Trump as “Von ShitzInPantz.” So the scent is within the air, so to talk. However whether or not Trump followers are literally responding to the rumors by carrying diapers and shirts that learn “Diaper Don” is questionable. Yeah, there are pictures, and yeah, everybody I do know believes it, however I am not satisfied—it is simply too good.
Exhibit one: the pictures
We each know the pictures themselves present no proof—they might be posed, photoshopped, or created by AI—however their supply provides us some clues. The entire pictures of individuals carrying diaper-centric Donald Trump gear to date originated in a single place: Dispatches from Trumpland, a weblog that appears to have launched in December, and purports to be a pro-Trump web site.
If Dispatches can be a pro-Trump weblog, it is a lazy one. It hosts a complete of 5 non-diaper-related posts, primarily even-handed articles overlaying the GOP major. They appeared like AI writing to me, so I ran this put up by three AI-writing detection providers, and so they all returned particular “It is AI” outcomes. The posts about diapers, although come again as “human.”
Not like the boring major articles, the diaper posts are obscure on particulars. The primary one gives no location for the pictures of Trumpers in diaper gear, however mentions “a merch cart picked up by the information in Michigan,” with out offering a hyperlink. (If that story exists, I can not discover it.) The second diaper put up says the photographs have been taken at “Trump’s newest occasion in rural Pennsylvania” with out mentioning the place or when this occasion occurred.
All this mixed strongly suggests the location is astroturf, a political smear job that solely exists to unfold the pictures. All the things else on the location appears designed to supply a skinny veneer of plausibility (so long as you do not take 10 minutes to look into it.)
Exhibit quantity two: the psychology of Trump’s supporters and detractors
One other knowledge level: If we all know something about Trump supporters, we all know they’re happy with the issues they do (regardless of how onerous). So why do not now we have any verified Trump supporters posting diaper photos? If anybody actually believed that carrying “actual males put on diapers” merch would set off liberal tears, why is not your shitty uncle carrying that t-shirt proper now? Trump supporters lacking an opportunity to personal libs stretches credibility previous the breaking level.
It additionally would not look like them to embrace one thing seen as weak point and pin it on their pal Donny. They like Trump to be seen as sturdy, not a doddering outdated pants-shitter. Reclaiming insults is a liberal factor.
On the opposite aspect of the coin, Trumpers making an attempt to do a “Darkish Brandon” however solely succeeding in making themselves look extra ridiculous is precisely the form of factor you’d ship to your good friend group and put up on Threads with the caption, “get a load of what these assholes are to date!” It is simply too pat. Too good. Too clearly enjoying into the biases of 1 group.
I respect the hustle, however seeing how the sausage is made makes me slightly queasy. Certain, it is efficient propaganda, and there isn’t any “unfair” in democracy, so I see the political knowledge of shaming Trump supporters and offering a ton of “they write themselves” jokes for late evening comedians, however the idealist in me needs to say, “Should not we be higher? Do we actually have to invent ridiculous issues Trump supporters do?”
We might by no means know whether or not that is grassroots or astroturf
Now you can purchase all method of “actual males put on diapers” t-shirts at on-line outlets like teepublic, however there would not appear to be any proof they have been bought earlier than Dispatches from Trumpland’s April eleventh, first-diaper-sighting put up. Little doubt we’ll be seeing this merchandise within the wild quickly, most likely from each Trump followers who imagine in it and Trump haters who’re doing it mockingly. And Trump-shits-himself will little doubt be a operating a theme of this nightmarish election yr, repeated as typically as “Hillary Clinton is on dying’s door!” was in 2016. Keep in mind that one?
Significantly, this entire factor is gross
Rolling round within the mud could also be essential to win an election in 2024, however the extra I take into consideration this particular smear, the uglier it appears. Not due to Trump (fuck him) or his supporters (fuck them too) however as a result of actual males do put on diapers. Actual ladies put on diapers. Not with the ability to management one’s bowels is not an indication of weak point and it is not notably humorous. It is an indignity that is not honest, and occurs to the nice and to the horrible alike.
I perceive that the finer level right here is making enjoyable of the slavish and peculiar devotion Trump’s followers must their idol, however, on the threat of being a celebration pooper, utilizing grownup diapers as a medium of ridicule is absolutely not honest to people who find themselves incontinent. Ageism is as a lot an -ism as another, and should you think about utilizing the identical tactic with another marginalized group, pointing at Trump and saying, “Ha! Von Shitshispants” is rather a lot much less humorous.
