Many people can attest to Donald Trump being a polarizing figure. From his relationship with Epstein to policy changes which his critics have labelled as fascist, Trump has been submerged in controversy. Most recently, Trump led attacks on citizens or personalities who mocked or “celebrated” the death of Charlie Kirk, a high-profile conservative political commentator. Even without any tangible evidence, Trump has blamed the death of Charlie Kirk on “left-wing radicalism”. However, both his critics and supporters have engaged in massive debates online for a questionable statement he made addressing attendees at a gala.
Viral Video Sparks Online Reactions
A clip of President Donald Trump has gone viral on social media after appearing to show him saying, “Smart people don’t like me.” The short clip spread quickly across major platforms, including X, Facebook, Reddit, and Threads. Critics quickly seized the opportunity to use the clip as evidence that Trump believes his base is not smart. However, Trump’s supporters have raised doubts about its authenticity, believing it to be AI or doctored footage. Other supporters of Trump state that the video is clipped out of context, obscuring his true meaning. The video drew millions of views within hours of its posting, drawing mixed responses and skepticism from both critics and supporters.
Origin of the Clip
The footage originated from an Instagram post on September 13, 2025. Republican strategist Nicole Kiprilov uploaded the video after attending a private fundraising gala at Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey golf club. The gala took place the previous day on September 13. You can see the clip on the second slide of the post below.
According to Snopes, the footage has not been digitally manipulated, altered or doctored and is 100% authentic. In a longer version of the clip, Trump continues on from the controversial statement to discuss the death of Charlie Kirk. However, Kiprilov emphasized that the clip is taken out of context, misrepresenting Trump’s actual statement.
Lack of Context in the Video
Viewers watching the viral version only heard him say, “Smart people don’t like me, you know? And they don’t like what we talk about.” According to Kiprilov, who stated in an email to Snopes, that Trump was referring to a prior conversation with someone else entirely. She went on to state that Trump was not referring to himself in the statement.
At the time, there were no credible sources that shared the video to clarify the part of the clip that was left out. She also expressed frustration that her video was reposted widely without her consent. Kiprilov further emphasized that the video was stripped of surrounding context. The original post from Kiprilov included several photos, with the video being on the second slide of the carousel.
Despite Kiprilov’s explanation, many online users framed the clip as Trump insulting his MAGA base. A post from the @PatriotTakes account on X alone received more than 9 million views. Other versions of the clip appeared on Reddit and Facebook, drawing similar reactions. Several liberal-leaning commentators mocked the statement. Memes, hashtags, and edited soundbites circulated across social platforms with no mention of the missing context.
Online Reactions from Politicians and Users
Democratic politician Rep. Jasmine Crockett even shared her take on the video. She wrote on X, “I agree! Soooo does MAGA know what this means he thinks of them?” Even public users added their commentary, some piling onto the joke. One user on Threads joked, “Finally, Trump accidentally tells the truth.” On Reddit, critics debated whether his words revealed Trump’s true feelings about his supporter base. Others argued whether or not he was quoting someone else.
What Trump Actually Said During the Event
What made Trump’s comment bizarre is the context of the rest of the video. After the “smart people” remark, Trump discussed the case of Tyler Robinson, a suspect in the assassination of conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk. Trump commented, “But he’s become radicalized. So many things have been learned about him so quickly. He’s become totally radicalized and crazy. And it must have been traumatic because the parents are conservative people,” stating polarizing political radicalization as an influence. Trump then pivoted into discussing how Robinson’s father reported him to law enforcement.
Connection to the Charlie Kirk Assassination Case
Trump discussed recent developments about Robinson’s father contacting a youth pastor, who then reported his son to the police. Federal investigators confirmed this, as originally reported by CBS News. Trump described the circumstances as unusual, stressing that such parental reporting “almost never” occurs. After the shooting, Trump officials targeted left-leaning groups, blaming “leftist ideology” for the incident.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson was quoted as venerating Trump, saying “Trump is right” in a statement to USA TODAY. When asked about the viral video, she stated: “For years, radical leftists have slandered their political opponents as Nazis and Fascists, inspiring left-wing violence like the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk.”
Missing mention of left-leaning targets
In recent remarks on the shooting, Trump did not cite attacks against Democrats, including the arson at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home, the kidnapping plot against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and the killing of Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home earlier this summer; critics say this omission skews the larger conversation about political violence.
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