On Friday, the White House officially announced that April will be "sexual assault Awareness and Prevention" month. Within minutes, social media was quick to react to the news and direct their remarks at Donald Trump.
Trump trolled
After March was labeled as "Women's History Month," April was next up on the calendar. It's routine for each month of the year to be given a theme that highlights and spotlights important issues around the country. In a statement on Friday, the president explained why April was going to continue its focus on sexual assault issues.
"My Administration, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, will do everything in its power to protect women, children, and men from sexual violence," the president said. Donald Trump then went on to call for "meaningful strategies" to help prevent the "more than 300,000 instances of rape or other sexual assault" that occur each year. The Hill reported the news on March 31, which Twitter instantly reacted to once the story broke.
JUST IN: Trump proclaims April "National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month" https://t.co/L9htw01LMp pic.twitter.com/X1t0LsACLo
— The Hill (@thehill) March 31, 2017
In response to the news that Donald Trump decided to use April to focus on sexual assault, Twitter users mocked the president due to his controversial history of being accused of rape, including a dozen women coming out last October to claim they were sexually assaulted by the president as some point in the past.
"Finally something he knows about!" one tweet read. "If it weren't for people like him we wouldn't need a Sexual Assault Awareness month," another Twitter user wrote.
If April is going to be about embracing Trump’s history of sexual assault, can May be about his impeachment and the seizing of his assets?
— Jason Karsh (@jkarsh) March 31, 2017
@thehill Finally something he knows about!
— Count Rapula (@CountRapula) March 31, 2017
"HOW can they announce this with straight faces?" one tweet wondered.
"Thought I was reading a headline from .@TheOnion...?" a follow-up tweet read. "Is this a joke? April fools? That's a pretty funny declaration coming from the #tinyhandgirlpartsgrabber," another social media user pointed out, referencing the now infamous Access Hollywood tapes that revealed Donald Trump's past private thoughts about a married woman.
Trump named April "National Sexual Assault Awareness Month" so this April let us all remain aware that Trump has admitted to sexual assault
— Julia Claire (@ohJuliatweets) March 31, 2017
Jesus Christ. Trump sure as shit didn't want to raise awareness about the sexual assault allegations made against him during the election.
— InxsySparxs (@InxsyS) March 31, 2017
The messages on Twitter continued, as many were relentless in their attack on Donald Trump's alleged history with women. "Oh, something he's an expert in - not in prevention, more like a how-to," a Twitter user wrote.
@thehill #FakePresident is already quite aware of sexual assault; practice makes perfect
— njspnfan (@njspnfan) March 31, 2017
@thehill If it weren't for people like him we wouldn't need a Sexual Assault Awareness month. pic.twitter.com/j7i6AOOyce
— The Literary Nerd (@nerdliterary) March 31, 2017
Next up
April was officially labeled as Sexual Assault Awareness Month back in 2009 by former President Barack Obama, and is considered a tradition that will continue for the foreseeable future. As expected, Donald Trump is facing heavy backlash for highlighting the issue, which doesn't look to be ending anytime soon.
