Before the first vote has even been cast in next year's presidential primaries, President Donald Trump began Wednesday with a barrage of re-election tweets and retweets attacking the nation's firefighters union for its endorsement of newly announced candidate Joe Biden.
The International Association of Fire Fighters—one of the country's biggest labor group that represents around 316,000 firefighters in North America—threw its support behind Biden on Monday. In an interview in Pittsburgh, Harold Schaitberger, the union's general president, said Biden has been a strong ally of those in the fire service since the former two-term vice president under President Barack Obama was elected to the Senate in 1972.
“For us it was real simple: Joe Biden has been with us every step of the way,” Schaitberger told The Tribune-Review of Greensburg, PA, while at Pittsburgh's IAFF Local 1 headquarters. “This is someone who respects workers, speaks for them and stands with them.”
In response, Trump slammed the union's leadership, saying it wasn't reflective of support he had among rank-and-file firefighters.
"The Dues Sucking firefighters leadership will always support Democrats, even though the membership wants me. Some things never change!" the president wrote Monday.
Trump then went on a retweeting spree to demonstrate that loyalty among firefighters, culminating in a flurry of around 60 reposted messages in less than 20 minutes Wednesday, according to the New York Post. Here's a selection:
- "Why would any firefighter of service vote for him? @realDonaldTrump is the way to go," @DJDaniel01
- "NONE of the Firemen I know are supporting Joe Biden for President," @dbongino.
- As a retired FF I know that the majority of the rank and file are conservative or moderate and DO NOT support liberal democrats!" @OmastaSkip
- "Stick in the eye by union...Trump has worked very hard for our first responders and union members...fighting very hard to bring back mfg., fighting hard against trade deals that have destroyed thousands of American jobs...," @mr36561
- "Joe Biden is not even his party’s candidate yet. Firemen can’t say they endorse him. He may not even be on ballot. Real firemen support President Trump," @flamingoHeels
“Each of us has our own policies and our own metrics,” Schaitberger told the Tribune-Review. “They’ll go through their processes and likely make a decision at some point. We just knew where we were going.”
