Trump slams ‘wacko’ Midler over her comment on ‘illiterate’ red state

Former US President Donald Trump has hit out at actress and singer Bette Midler after she described West Virginia as “poor, illiterate, and strung out.” Trump labeled Midler as “wacko” in his retort.

On Thursday evening, former US President Donald Trump joined those criticizing Bette Midler over her Twitter rant against Senator Joe Manchin and voters in his home state of West Virginia. 

“What #JoeManchin, who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn, has done to the rest of America… is horrible. He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate and strung out,” the ‘Hocus Pocus’ star tweeted on Monday.

The 76-year-old quickly issued an apology amid a torrent of criticism, stating that she had seen red, but reiterated her dislike of Manchin. She had been angered by Manchin’s opposition to the Biden administration’s social and climate spending package, which requires Republican support to make it through the 50-50 Senate.

Never one to miss an opportunity to trash-talk Midler, Trump issued a statement on Thursday slamming the “wacko” actress and noting “Midler said horrible things about the great people of West Virginia and Joe Manchin.”

“But when I say much less offensive things about her, everybody goes wild,” he claimed, adding “I love you, West Virginia.”

The former president has previously traded jibes with the Hollywood star, an enduring critic of his. In 2012, the real estate developer and TV personality labeled Midler an “extremely unattractive woman.”

In 2019, the then-president slammed Midler for sharing a fake quote about him, calling her a “washed up psycho.”

The two-time Academy Award nominee and ‘Hocus Pocus’ star has not held back in their war of words, calling Trump a “vampire” and a “short-sighted little man.”