As you may have heard, President Trump celebrated Cinco de Mayo by tweeting a video of him body-slamming a wrestler dressed as a dummy. And in typical Trump fashion, he hashtagged it #potusmorsemashable. Many Twitter users were not amused and expressed disdain for the hashtag. Now, before we go any further, let’s be clear: this hashtag is terrible. It’s crass and juvenile. And worst of all, it’s just plain unfunny. Twitter has struggled to regain public trust since the election, and this hashtag worsens things. If you want to ensure your brand isn’t associated with this content, use a different hashtag or refrain from using hashtags.
The Hashtag
Twitter has been facing backlash after we created their “PotusMorsemashable” hashtag in honor of President Donald Trump. The hashtag is a play on the presidential term “POTUS” and is meant to be a light-hearted descriptor for the president’s tweets. However, some users have criticized the hashtag as being inappropriate and disrespectful.
Some people argue that using a hashtag that references an anatomical term is inappropriate, given that it could be seen as offensive to some members of the LGBTQ+ community. Others say that using the term in this way trivializes Trump’s important work as president. Twitter has since removed the hashtag from its platform, but it remains available through third-party services like Hashtagify.
While some people may find the “#Twitter Teamtrump Potusmorsemashable” hashtag inappropriate, others have defended its use. Some argue that it’s simply a fun way to describe Trump’s tweets and doesn’t deserve all of the negative attention it’s been receiving. Twitter’s team, Trump, may have chosen an unfortunate hashtag for their campaign joke, but ultimately it’s up to each user to decide whether or not they find the term funny or offensive.
The Origins of the Hashtag
Twitter’s team Trump’s “PotusMorsemashable” hashtag is so terrible. The hashtag was intended to be a light-hearted way of poking fun at the president, but it turned out to be a disaster. We used the hashtag to post photos of the president with silly captions that were supposed to make him look silly. However, some of the jokes were racist and sexist, which made them very offensive. Some people even used the hashtag to share pictures of the president with pedophiles and Nazi symbols. Twitter quickly deleted all posts that featured the #PotusMorsemashable hashtag, but it was too late. We had done the damage. Twitter has since apologized for how this went wrong, but it is too late for the hashtag’s reputation.
The Problems with the Hashtag
Twitter’s “PotusMorsemashable” hashtag is terrible. First of all, it’s not presidential. Second of all, it’s not funny. And third of all, it could be a better design.
Twitter’s team Trump chose the hashtag to parody the Obama-inspired #ImWithObama hashtag campaign that helped propel him to victory in 2008 and 2012. But the overall vibe of the campaign needs to be corrected for Twitter. The hashtag feels too earnest and official, like someone on Twitter had no sense of humor and was trying to be clever by coming up with a clever hashtag.
The tag also clashes with Twitter’s other branding goals. Twitter wants its users to feel like they’re part of a global community where they can share their thoughts on anything and everything. Using a silly hashtag like “PotusMorsemashable” doesn’t fit that vibe. It seems more like Twitter is trying to be something it’s not – a serious social media platform for government officials and journalists.
Twitter Responds to the Hashtag
Twitter has responded to the #PotusMorsemashable hashtag with some hilarious responses. The most popular response is from Twitter user @TheTweetOfGod, who writes, “Hashtag games are for kids who can’t think of anything else to do on a Friday night.” Other responses include “#HashtagAssassin,” “#HashtagDirewolf,” and “#HashtagLoser.”
