Donald Trump Jr. ignited a Twitter war Monday night by invoking Skittles to warn against the infiltration of terrorists as Syrian refugees.
This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first. #trump2016pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 19, 2016
“If I had a bowl of Skittles and I told you three would kill you, would you take a handful?” said a picture tweeted by Trump Jr., showing a bowl filled with the popular candy. “That’s our Syrian refugee problem.”
He added: “This image says it all. Let’s end the politically correct agenda that doesn’t put America first.”
Critics called the comparison offensive. Hillary Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill wrote: “This is disgusting.”
Wrigley Americas, which owns Skittles, said: “Skittle are candy. Refugees are people.”
A company rep added: “We don’t feel it’s an appropriate analogy. We will respectfully refrain from further commentary as anything we say could be misinterpreted as marketing.”
But Trump supporters said he had a point. “Liberals are more upset about Skittles than this weekend’s terrorist attack in NYC and NJ. We’re truly living in an idiocracy,” wrote Mark Dice.
Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Illinois), now a conservative talk show host, said Trump Jr. appropriated his idea. “Hey@DonaldTrumpJr, that’s the point I made last month. Glad you agree.”
A rep for @Skittles gives me their response to @DonaldJTrumpJrpic.twitter.com/OmkJQkIqug
— Seth Abramovitch (@SethAbramovitch) September 20, 2016
