Shortly after the Taliban voiced its support for the US president's re-election, a Trump spokesman, Tim Murtaugh, stated that the campaign rejects the Taliban* endorsement.
“We reject their support and the Taliban should know that the president will always protect American interests by any means necessary, unlike Joe Biden who opposed taking out Osama bin Laden and Qasem Soleimani", Murtaugh said.
Many netizens were triggered by the Taliban endorsement for Trump, exploding Twitter threads with memes, reactions, jokes and outraged comments.
"We hope he will win the election and wind up US military presence in Afghanistan," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told CBS News in an interview, causing waves in social media.
Earlier in the day, teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg endorsed Democratic candidate Joe Biden and users detailed the sharp contrast between the two endorsements.
Today's endorsements in the US Presidential election...
— Edwin Hayward 🦄 🗡 (@uk_domain_names) October 10, 2020
Biden:
- Cindy McCain (John McCain's widow)
- Greta Thunberg
Trump:
- The Taliban
Says everything you need to know, really!
Taliban for Trump isn’t a platform I expected to see
— Angry Staffer (@AngrierWHStaff) October 10, 2020
The Taliban endorses Trump
— Mrs. Krassenstein (@HKrassenstein) October 10, 2020
I prefer endorsements from people who don't kill Americans.
[Checks Twitter] The Taliban endorsed President @realDonaldTrump for re-election. [Logs off Twitter] pic.twitter.com/h2RHmDv88v
— James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) October 10, 2020
For many users, the news seemed to become a decisive point in their choice of vote.
This week Donnie received an endorsement not from any former republican presidents or other world leaders but from the Taliban. That’s right, THE Taliban. That settles it, I’m no longer undecided.
— Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) October 10, 2020
Netizens appeared to recall every controversial endorsement of Trump - even those that are not real.
Trump got endorsements fro the Taliban, Bin Laden’s cousin, Satan, a bedazzled Swastika, Candace Owens, Coronavirus, and Scott Baio.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) October 10, 2020
It’s going to be close.
Gonna go ahead and say if both the Taliban and the KKK endorse you, you’re a special kind of evil.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) October 10, 2020
Some blamed it on 2020 - it appears someone played bingo.
Who had “Taliban endorses Donald Trump for president” on their 2020 bingo card?
— Yvette wants you to please just wear the @#% mask. (@TheSciBabe) October 10, 2020
One user imagined how Trump would react to the endorsement.
I don’t know them? The Taljban? Maybe I met them...they said some good things about me I heard...but I also heard they did some bad things
— John Manuel (@jcmanuel2323) October 10, 2020
There were those, however, who remained calm, declaring that the Taliban are in support of Trump because of the president's suggestion that he would withdraw US troops from Afghanistan - a move suggested by some to be a good thing.
Withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan might be good though.
— Mike C Ward (@MikeW_CA) October 10, 2020
Of course they want Trump. Biden will invade their homeland and start a pointless war!
— harley istlund (@HarleyIstlund) October 10, 2020
You'd rather have more war and more Americans killed?
— Mark Sheldon (@MarkShell19) October 10, 2020
The Taliban have endorsed Trump amid the POTUS' declaration that he would withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan by Christmas, if the group meets conditions on counter-terrorism.
The Taliban spokesman welcomed the idea, reiterating the terrorist group's commitment to its agreements with the US, and voicing hopes for "good and positive relations" with all countries, including America, in the future.
In February, the US and the Taliban agreed on a tentative peace deal in Qatar, with Washington vowing to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and the terror group pledging to prevent the country from becoming a haven for terrorism.
Trump's stated interest in withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan, if fulfilled, would bring to an end almost two decades of active US military presence in the country, beginning after the 9/11 attacks. The Afghanistan war was initiated by the administration of US President George W Bush, as it was believed at the time that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was in hiding in the region.
*Taliban - a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries
