'Oh dear God': Trump eviscerated over his 'empathy cheat sheet' at meeting with shooting survivors
The cue card quickly triggered a fresh round of jokes, criticism and memes on social media.
President Donald Trump is once again being mercilessly mocked on social media after a photo taken during a listening session with Florida shooting survivors gave people a sneak peek at his notes for the meeting. On Wednesday (21 February), Trump met several people affected by deadly school shootings across the nation at the White House (21 February) including survivors from the tragic shooting in Florida last week that left 17 people dead.
"Some of your suggestions, I've heard some of them," Trump said. "We're going to do something about this horrible situation that's going on. I want to listen. And then after I listen, we're going to get things done."
"We're fighting hard for you and we will not stop," he continued "I just grieve for you... To me, there could be nothing worse than what you've gone through. Thank you for pouring out your hearts because the world is watching and we're going to come up with a solution."
Social media users, however, honed in on one photo taken during the session that showed Trump holding a note card listing five discussion points written in black marker, the last of which read: "I hear you."
The other visible points included "1. What would you most want me to know about your experience?" and "2. What can we do to help you feel safe?"
The remaining pointers were obscured by Trump's hands.
Twitter immediately pounced on the opportunity to roast the president over the piece of White House stationery with some people describing it as his "cheat sheet to being human". Others claimed it highlighted the president's "lack of empathy".
Naturally, the note triggered a fresh round of jokes, criticism and memes on social media.
"Dear Lord that list of 5 talking points, the last of which reads 'I hear you'," one Twitter user wrote. "Is that something you really need a periodical reminder to do, especially when it comes to something this important, @realDonaldTrump? Of course, you do."
Another added: "Doesn't the fact that he needs to be told to say 'I hear you' at a LISTENING session seem wrong? It's as if he needs to be reminded to express normal human empathy."
"That the man who holds our countries nuclear weapon keys needs a crib note that reads 'I hear you' to show empathy terrifies me," someone else said.
This is a real photo. Trump needed a cheat sheet written by someone else to remind him to say âI hear youâ to people affected by gun violence. (source: https://t.co/zVCWSf0RCW) pic.twitter.com/IaQgOTJshI
— shauna (@goldengateblond) February 22, 2018
âHere mr. President, use these responsesâthey might trick grieving families in to thinking you care even the slightest bit about them.â (Unfortunately, his henchmen forgot to tell @realDonaldTrump not to filddle with his empathy cheat-sheet in front of the cameras.) https://t.co/aspmNUyNfY
— Misha Collins (@mishacollins) February 22, 2018
To help him simulate human reactions, Trump's minders gave him a cheat sheet that prompted him to say things like "I hear you" during the WH listening session on the #Parkland shootings. [@AP Photo by Carolyn Kaster] pic.twitter.com/cEyVNDlvjU
— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) February 21, 2018
Oh dear God. Trump has to be reminded to say "I hear you". Look at his notes, who wrote them? What a sad human being. https://t.co/zBxZdkdEGz
— Joyce Owen (@Holdon2Hope2017) February 22, 2018
While meeting with some of the victims from the Parkland school shooting Trump had a note of reminders of things to say. One of them: I hear you. Really??? You have to be reminded to pretend to care? SMDH pic.twitter.com/e0SbMk4IWw
— om (@oliviamunn) February 22, 2018
You'd like to think that was a gimme that no one needed to write down, especially for a "listening session." Sheesh.
— Ima loud proud girl (@mimilahr) February 21, 2018
Oh gawd: Trump had a 3 point cheat sheet for gun control meeting - 3rd point: âI hear you.â
— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) February 21, 2018
Reminder: have empathy. https://t.co/G9xSvNBdZd
Roses are red
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) February 21, 2018
Violets are blue
Tell me your thoughts about guns
And (5) I hear you
âI HEAR YOUâ had to be scripted. I have nothing left. https://t.co/smnqXCUtSL
— alyssa mastromonaco (@AlyssaMastro44) February 21, 2018
âI hear you,â @realDonaldTrump? And yet, you and Republican leaders do absolutely nothing. #EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/Wdr9L7P5EI
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) February 21, 2018
"what is this again"
— darth⢠(@darth) February 21, 2018
"a listening session sir"
"...and...i..."
"i wrote it down for you sir"
That akward moment when you forget how to empathize
— My Name Is [Trash] (@ColorMeTrash) February 21, 2018
1) Not his handwriting so not even his own notes
— JackiSchechner (@JackiSchechner) February 21, 2018
2) He needed notes to meet gun violence survivors
3) He needed to be reminded to say "I hear you" https://t.co/IsOXBqCWud
Our idiot president actually needs crib notes to remind him to sound sympathetic! https://t.co/8hkxSgFVuY
— Perez Hilton (@PerezHilton) February 21, 2018
"I...hear...you... This is good stuff!" pic.twitter.com/7NwREU5VLT
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) February 21, 2018
The fact that President Trump needed a note card to remind him to say âI hear youâ to survivors of school shootings, proves to me that heâs a psychopath with no capacity for empathy.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) February 22, 2018
This isnât a joke. We have a psychopath running our country!#ParklandStudentsSpeak
The fact that President Trump needed a note card to remind him to say âI hear youâ to survivors of school shootings, proves to me that heâs a psychopath with no capacity for empathy.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) February 22, 2018
This isnât a joke. We have a psychopath running our country!#ParklandStudentsSpeak
Trump, a very stable genius, has a cue card to remind him to say âI hear youâ and thatâs 2018 in one photo pic.twitter.com/06rKoFymOW
— Jennifer O'Connell (@jenoconnell) February 22, 2018
So hereâs the president today during his meeting. Canât even talk to grieving parents and students without a card with a 5-point cheat sheet. One says , âI hear you.â
— Julia Peacock (@peacock4ca42) February 22, 2018
He needed a damned CHEAT SHEET to show empathy to gun violence victims.
A CHEAT SHEET!!! TO SHOW EMOTIONS. pic.twitter.com/f3hcYRVkvU
Trump was caught holding these notes, which reminded him to say:
— Charlotte Clymerð³ï¸âð (@cmclymer) February 21, 2018
âI hear you.â
You know who would have never needed that reminder?
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.#Parkland pic.twitter.com/fmr0KS7i7R
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