During his first year in office, President Trump has concentrated on undoing key parts of former President Obama’s legacy. But this is one he won’t be able to reverse: Three of Obama’s tweets rank among 2017’s most retweeted posts, Twitter says. None of Trump’s are on the list.
On Twitter’s list of the “Top 9 Retweeted Posts of 2017,” Obama occupies the #2 spot with a tweet from August 12, the day of the racially motivated killing in Charlottesville, Virginia. “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion,” the former president tweeted under a photo of him greeting a multiracial group of toddlers gathered in a window. It has gotten 1.7 million retweets and 4.6 million likes.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion…” pic.twitter.com/InZ58zkoAm
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 13, 2017
Obama’s second tweet on the list was sent on Jan. 10. “Thank you for everything,” he said. “My last ask is the same as my first. I’m asking you to believe—not in my ability to create change, but in yours.” That earned 871,000 retweets and 1.9 million likes.
Thank you for everything. My last ask is the same as my first. I’m asking you to believe—not in my ability to create change, but in yours.
— President Obama (@POTUS44) January 11, 2017
The third is from President Trump’s inauguration day, Jan. 20. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve you,” Obama tweeted. “You made me a better leader and a better man.” It got 631,000 retweets and 1.6 million likes.
It’s been the honor of my life to serve you. You made me a better leader and a better man.
— President Obama (@POTUS44) January 20, 2017
One Trump-related Tweet did make the list: NBA star LeBron James’s “U bum” riposte to Trump’s tweet that he had withdrawn Stephen Curry’s invitation to the White House. “U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going!,” James wrote on Sep. 23. “So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!” That got 661,000 retweets and 1.5 million likes.
U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017
The top retweet of the year was the megaviral post in which a man named Carter Wilkinson asked the fast-food chain Wendy’s, “How many retweets for a year of free chicken nuggets?” Wendy’s replied, “18 million.” Carter’s response: “Consider it done.”
Alas, he only got 3.6 million. As President Trump is learning, exploring Twitter’s outer limits can only take you so far.
