Trump critics ‘slutshame’ Hope Hicks after Lincoln Project founder posts rumor of an affair with Brad Pascale
A tweet claiming Donald Trump’s former counselor Hope Hicks was seen in the company of freshly fired campaign manager Brad Pascale might have passed by as a bizarre joke, until it was shared by the Lincoln Project’s co-founder.
The narrative seems to have originated in a humorous Twitter conversation between Rick Wilson, a co-founder of the prominent anti-Trump project, and YS, a popular account associated with conspiracy theories.
Ooooof that would make TWO other Trump world people VERY angry. Only in DC, kids. Only in DC. https://t.co/067XFoO48t
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) July 15, 2020
According to the YS tweet, Hicks and Pascale were exuding a “more than friends” vibe at the notorious Comet Pizza, which featured in the ‘Pizzagate’ scandal. Perhaps that should have been a dead giveaway that this was a joke, but many Trump critics didn’t see it that way.
This has led many liberal users to deride Hicks for her taste in men, with suggestions that someone needs to tell her “there are some eligible bachelors outside the Trump Administration.” During Trump’s 2016 campaign, then-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was also demoted after rumors he was involved with Hicks.
Some went so low as to chastise her for having been “passed around the Oval Office.”
I am not a love doctor but can someone tell Hope Hicks there are some eligible bachelors outside the Trump Administration.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) July 16, 2020
It seems that Hope Hicks has been passed around the Oval Office more than the CDC COVID guidelines.
— JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) July 16, 2020
This caused a backlash within a backlash, with Twitter feminists trying to cut through “the sexism” and judge Hicks as an “independent, loathsome, Trump-enabler all on her own.”
Enough w/the sexism about Hope Hicks. She's not Corey "Womp womp" Lewandowski's "ex-girlfriend." She's not Rob "wife beater" Porter's "former sidepiece." She's not Brad "Troll-in-chief" Parscale's "new squeeze." Hicks is an independent, loathsome, Trump-enabler all on her own.
— Nell Scovell (@NellSco) July 16, 2020
A popular joke was that the Democrats need to try and convince Hicks to date (and thus eliminate) other men in the Republican government.
Anyone who can convince Hope Hicks to date Donald Trump will save the world.
— Mrs. Krassenstein (@HKrassenstein) July 16, 2020
Some conservatives did try to point out that it’s a rumor and that Wilson is an anti-Trump “resistance” personality.
Let me get this straight: Rick Wilson managed to throw gasoline and a match on the Pizzagate conspiracy theory and start yet another sexist rumor about Hope Hicks, and he’s still a #Resistance hero? What a piece of trash. https://t.co/CAoQa7Q0PF
— Quarantiana (@TianaTheFirst) July 16, 2020
Wilson’s Lincoln Project is a conservative group mainly known for a series of anti-Trump ads. The president has previously called them a “disgrace to Honest Abe.”
On Wednesday, Wilson was exposed and mocked by the hosts of the CBS All Access series ‘Tooning Out the News’. During the interview they brought up his support for the Iraq War and the Lincoln Project’s questionable spending, which mostly goes to its management.
Also on rt.com Anti-Trump Lincoln Project co-founder says past tweets shouldn’t define him, then cans employee for offensive messages a day laterLike this story? Share it with a friend!