'Given up pretending': Bill Kristol slams Trump for missing D-Day post

President Donald Trump seemingly failed to acknowledge the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, as he shared a flurry of posts on his social media platform, but not one related to the historic event. Instead, his series of artificial intelligence-generated images portrayed him grandiose and seemingly took a dig at his perceived opponents. Long-time Trump critic Bill Kristol quickly pointed to the President forgetting the fateful day, claiming that he is not even pretending to be interested in anything other than himself. 

Trump spent most of his afternoon on Saturday posting a stream of bizarre content on Truth Social, including an AI-generated music video depicting him riding a lion, skydiving, and sharing food with world leaders. All while forgetting that it was the 82nd anniversary of the day when the Allied powers stormed the beaches of Normandy during World War II. "It's as if all pretenses are gone," Kristol wrote on X, reacting to Trump's behavior. He added that the President has "given up even pretending" that he is interested in honoring anything about America other than himself.  

The posting spree started with Trump sharing an AI music video set to the song "Trump," created by New York congressional candidate Anthony Constantino, who was recently endorsed by him. The video featured clips of the President riding a lion, sharing a meal with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and at the UFC Freedom 250 cage fight at the White House, to show how he is loved and adored across the globe. 

For several hours, it remained the only post on his account until he shared an AI-image of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and then another mocking the Obama Presidential Library by depicting it as a large pile of garbage. "The Barack Hussein Obama Library, in 10 years, will be fully matured!" Trump wrote in the caption of the post. 

Even by afternoon, Trump wasn't reminded to share a message for D-Day as he went on to share another AI-generated post to mock Rosie O'Donnell, before taking shots at Judge Richard Leon, who temporarily halted the construction of the White House ballroom. 

The behaviour is odd as in the past, Trump has acknowledged D-Day as he posted a video of himself virtually chatting with D-Day heroes in addition to a statement acknowledging soldiers who died, back in 2024. The previous year, in 2023, he posted a video montage of D-Day as a part of his re-election campaign.

Trump wasn't the only one to get flak for his behavior on D-Day. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth received widespread backlash for using a speech marking the anniversary of D-Day in France to launch a political attack on illegal immigration. "Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies," Hegseth said at the event in Normandy, according to NBC. "Beaches in Spain, in Italy, in Greece, and in Bulgaria. Boats and men arrive. When will European capitals do something about that invasion?" he said. The remarks were swiftly condemned on social media, with leaders slamming the Defense Secretary. 

English historian, author, and television presenter Simon Schama described his message as a "special kind of loathsomeness: a blend of historical deafness, grotesque stupidity and comically ludicrous self-importance."