'Nothing to celebrate': Mary Trump slams 'I'm the hunter' Presidents' Day post

President Donald Trump's social media activity over the Presidents' Day weekend has sparked widespread criticism from a mix of political rivals and media figures. The latest to join the bandwagon is the President's niece and well-known political commentator, Mary Trump. "For President's Day, Donald posted a picture of himself trying to look tough (he looked like my grandmother, but she never wore that much makeup), and this quote: "I was the hunted. Now I’m the hunter." Another reason to stop celebrating this holiday," Mary posted on social media. 

Earlier, Trump had posted a highly stylized meme featuring an image of himself in what appears to be a Time Magazine cover. The text overlay read: "I was the hunted. Now I'm the hunter." The post, widely shared by the White House, has divided U.S. lawmakers and the public alike. While Trump supporters have acknowledged the post as a sign of strength, critics like Mary viewed it as vengeful and against the spirit of the President's office.

Sharing a detailed article, titled 'Nothing to Celebrate', along with her X post, Mary accused the President of "misusing the power of the presidency and the agencies he controls to go after those who investigated and prosecuted his crimes." "This is the message of a thug, a wannabe mafia boss. That is what it now sounds like to be "presidential." And it's another reason to consider what it is we're supposed to be celebrating today," Mary wrote. 

Like many other Trump critics, Mary has accused the President of misusing his office to target political opponents. Since returning to office for a second term, President Trump's administration has initiated a crackdown on several high-profile figures and institutions, including indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, and deploying federal agencies to investigate Senator Adam Schiff for alleged mortgage fraud. The President has also labelled a "traitor".

The President's niece, who has on past occasions accused the Trump administration of  "weaponizing" the DOJ, said Trump was "defiling" his office. "We're often told that even if we don't respect the person of the president, we must respect the office of the presidency. I don't think that applies anymore because the person currently inhabiting that office has spent over five years defiling it. What, anymore, is there to respect?" she wrote in her article, adding, "If the people in this country want to set aside a day to celebrate presidents, we should be more careful about choosing those who are worth it. And if we came up with a list, it's not that Donald would be the last name on it—he wouldn't be on it at all."