Trump’s rambling 90-minute ear assault about how great he is perfectly summed up his year back in government – 21 scathing responses
Tuesday was the first anniversary of Donald Trump’s second inauguration, and he marked the occasion with a speech and press conference at the White House.
His speech lasted about 90 minutes, not including press questions, but like his term of office, it felt much much longer.
He cannot hold a line of thought.
He cannot land a point.
He cannot communicate seriousness.And yet global markets, alliances and security are being forced to react in real time to this kind of performance.
A superpower led by a man delivering incoherent childhood anecdotes… pic.twitter.com/bfBx19oF6z
— Liz Webster (@LizWebsterSBF) January 20, 2026
The fact-checkers should have asked for triple time, with factual elements much more difficult to spot than lies.
I wrote in December that President Trump's lying got extra-repetitive in 2025. His ongoing year-in-office speech is filled with nonsense that has been debunked over and over for months or sometimes years.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) January 20, 2026
Washington DC wasn’t the murder hotspot Trump claims, and the National Guard patrols have simply made more people stay at home.
Trump: "Your lover isn't going to be killed anymore, so you can act like a real lover. You can walk right through the middle of the town. And DC is beautiful again too." pic.twitter.com/JWGiohk8Yv
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 20, 2026
He accused Democrats of faking employment figures by …employing people.
Trump: "All I have to do is what the Democrats do all the time. They hire a million people and then they hire another million and they load it up and it says, 'Oh, they only have a 3% unemployment rate.' It's a fake rate. With us, we're proud of the fact that we cut so many." pic.twitter.com/Ow2q7cwKuv
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 20, 2026
We’re not sure who gave him a stack of mugshots, but the several minutes he spent reading them out are ones we wish we could claim back with interest – and compensation.
folks, this is some really weird shit. the president is not well. pic.twitter.com/IQHcbM7mtl
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 20, 2026
Somebody really needs to explain to him that asylum seekers haven’t come from asylums.
Here’s a clip about how Trump’s mom said he could be a baseball player before explaining what a mental institution is pic.twitter.com/ZCFjnstfc7
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 20, 2026
Here’s what his former Press Secretary, Stephanie Grisham, thought of his performance.
This presser is bizarre even for him. It’s all the usual rambling, off-topic tales, half-truths, lies, “I’ve fixed everything – no one has ever seen anything like it” stuff…but it’s low-energy & feels like he’s…mentally slipping. Congress-plz wake up. Plz. #EmperorHasNoClothes
— Stephanie Grisham (@OMGrisham) January 20, 2026
She wasn’t the only one with concerns.
1.
This gotta the most insane Trump "press conference" ever and there has been a lot of crazy ones
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) January 20, 2026
2.
The leaders of France & Canada are giving speeches about how the world needs to reorient towards more stable democracies like theirs. Denmark is telling us to fuck off. Meanwhile our president is a rambling mess at this presser, speaking as if none of that is happening. Bizarre.
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) January 20, 2026
3.
Trump's press conference pic.twitter.com/4Fx4nZszRW
— Colin the Dachshund (@DachshundColin) January 20, 2026
4.
Man at Trump press conference regrets pledge not to shave until it finished. pic.twitter.com/CgqyMBIFzo
— Mark Hammond (@MarkHam80780803) January 20, 2026
5.
Listening to Trump's speech in the background while I am working. Watching him is bad enough, but when you are only listening the man is like off the fucking rails! The rabbit has left the hutch! The hamster fell off the wheel! Grampa's inspecting his navel! It would be funny if…
— AntifaPuddin’Pop (@Andie00471) January 20, 2026
6.
Live shot of the entire world watching the Trump press conference pic.twitter.com/4HpjI3N1bh
— Political Punk (@actingliketommy) January 20, 2026
7.
Asked to respond to (one sentence of) Trump's speech, my responses were:
"False."
"False."
"A little bit."
"False."
"False." pic.twitter.com/LzlJ3vOWZ1— Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) January 17, 2026
8.
Im watching this live press conference with a knot in my stomach. He’s fucking insane. He’s just totally insane. He’s going to destroy America and the world. What the fuck is wrong with you congress. This is really scary shit. pic.twitter.com/n5O8AeJHvI
— Ryder 🇮🇪 🇪🇺 (@Ryder56004614) January 20, 2026
9.
Trump is declining in front of our eyes. rambling. Making stuff up, exaggerating, rehearsing his grievances, making shooting of Renee Good all about him (“her dad loves me”)… extraordinary.
— Rory Bremner 💙🇺🇦 (@rorybremner) January 20, 2026
10.
The wheels are finally coming off this pro-Russian piece of shit.
Russia's biggest operation ever, installing a US president with social media, its almost over.
Surely, @gop is now talking. pic.twitter.com/Sp77Rc44Y8
— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) January 20, 2026
11.
I keep waiting for big guys in white to show up at the podium with a straitjacket.
— Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) January 20, 2026