On Jul 8, at the height of the massive search-and-rescue operation after a teenage football team and their coach went missing during a cave excursion on June 23, President Donald Trump tweeted in support of the rescue efforts.
The U.S. is working very closely with the Government of Thailand to help get all of the children out of the cave and to safety. Very brave and talented people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2018
President Trump said: “The U.S. is working very closely with the Government of Thailand to help get all of the children out of the cave and to safety. Very brave and talented people!”
His tweet was however was almost immediately met with scorn and ridicule.
No no no you do not get to take any credit for this.
— Linz DeFranco (@LinzDeFranco) July 8, 2018
The Thai navy seals are doing the bulk of the work. Cave rescues are their specialty. Don't try and twist the facts and steal their thunder. You're insignificant in this event as in any other significant event in the world you are nothing but fly in the ointment.#ThaiCaveRescue
— Michele Garron (@bassm67) July 8, 2018
Don't you DARE attempt to take credit for the long hard days and nights that these #ThaiNavySEALS are putting in to rescue these boys!
But you SHOULD recognize the #ThaiNavySEAL who gave his life to rescue them.
He's a REAL hero. #SamanGunanhttps://t.co/XF9TG2jSQh
— #WeAreTheResistance #BlueWave2018? #FuckTrump! (@SunnyInJax) July 8, 2018
Others tried to link the reversed child separation policy with the President’s tweet.
Get the children you've willingly taken from their families back where they belong.
Until then, be quiet.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) July 9, 2018
How about working closely with the American government to release 3000+ children from internment camps.
Oh wait, not a priority is it?— Woman In The Moon (@SassyKadiK) July 9, 2018
If those kids were here you would stick them in cages.
— LiA (@LibsInAmerica) July 8, 2018
To all those Trump supporters hoping the Thailand kids get reunited with their parents, note there are 1000s of children sadly that Trump forcibly separated that are also desperate to be back with their parents. Just saying…
— Richard Foote ?? (@richardfoote) July 9, 2018
Could you please (also) focus on reuniting those 2500 children at the Mexican border with their parents?
— DesignersAgainstAIDS (@_DAA) July 8, 2018
Yet others suggested that the Americans didn’t even lend a hand at the rescue.
trying to take credit for someone elses success again I see …. classic Trump. Well done to the THAI NAVY SEALS, BRITISH CAVE DIVERS, AUSTRALIAN DOCTOR and all of the people assisting in the rescue. The UK is looking forward to your arrival ?
— Louisa U (@Looby_Lou80) July 9, 2018
2 British cave diving experts are leading the rescue along with the Thai Navy Seals #ThailandCaveRescue pic.twitter.com/SEYKHmXeCR
— VEE BAXTER (@MissVeeBee) July 9, 2018
Where is the U.S. mentioded? It is Britons, Aussies and Scandinavians doing the real stuff. https://t.co/JjN2EFRhNi
— Mikko Routala (@MikkoRoutala) July 9, 2018
But the fact is, more than 30 US military personnel with specialists from Australia, Britain, Japan, China, Myanmar and Laos, joined about 1,000 Thai rescuers in the massive search-and-rescue effort. And it is also not unusual for President Trump, as Commander in Chief, to praise the valiant and noble efforts of his military personnel.
The 12 boys and their soccer coach were all successfully rescued from inside a flooded Thai cave for 17 days and are recovering at a hospital.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has thanked people involved in the rescue mission saying the government’s efforts, the assistance of people in Thailand and abroad, and the outpouring of moral support made the mission a success.