Donald Trump loves to refer to his political opponents by a nickname.
Along with rambling speeches full of non sequiturs, demeaning monikers have been at the heart of the former president’s unique political brand since before he entered the White House in 2016.
Like a salesman, Trump’s unrelenting use of the names at rallies and in interviews strengthens them in association through repetition.
The Independent has rounded up some of Trump’s most bizarre names – and how they came to be.
First there was “Laffin’ Kamala”. Then there was “Lyin’ Kamala”. Now it’s simply “Kamabla” – and for a while, nobody had a clue what it meant.
Trump began intentionally butchering Harris’s name by place a rogue “b” in it during a flurry of Truth Social posts at the beginning of August.
“Kamabla represents all the hurt and misery the Biden-Harris administration has brought to every single American,” the Trump campaign told the Intelligencer last month.
A month later, finally revealed what Kamabla means. “Just a… mixed-up … pile of words,” Trump told the magazine. “Like she is.”
As Covid-19 ravaged America, then-President Trump mocked then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for wearing a face mask at a campaign event, as he observed social distancing measures.
“Joe Hiden’ gets off his airplane, grabs and shakes a rather stunned man’s hand (like in the old days), then touches his face and mask with the same hand. No crowd, no enthusiasm for Joe today. Law & Order!” Trump wote on X, then Twitter, in September, 2020.
He continued his tirade: “Have you ever seen a man who likes a mask as much as him? It gives him a feeling of security. If I were a psychiatrist, I’d say this guy has got some big issues.”
At the time Trump repeatedly accused Biden of “hiding” in his basement by observing Covid-related safety rules. By contrast Trump continued appearing at rallies and other well-attended events, some of which were dubbed Covid “superspreader” events as cases spiked after them.
Trump has also branded the president as “Crooked Joe,” “Sleepy Joe,” and “Slow Joe.”
After years of calling Hillary Clinton “Crooked” and “Crazy”, last year Trump decided it was time for the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate to be served up a new nickname: “Beautiful.”
