President-elect Trump’s brief press conference Wednesday generated a lot of social media buzz from journalists and pundits, not just for what he said about Russia and the future of his business, but because of who he was standing next to.
Holding a bundle of flags, which included American and Israeli flags, former boxing promoter Don King shared some thoughts with reporters on the Israel-Palestianian conflict.
“The Israeli flag is about peace, you know, peace in the Middle East,” King said at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. “We want everyone to come together and as one unit and make things happen.”
King said Trump is “the leader that can make it happen.”
King’s colorful outfit became a subject of mockery for some on Twitter.
Liberal political comedian Bill Maher, host of the HBO show “Real Time,” said, “Anyone worried about the next 4 yrs, just look at Trump today w/ Don King in a wizard costume and a giant Trump button and tell me..oh Jesus.”
Anyone worried about the next 4 yrs, just look at Trump today w/ Don King in a wizard costume and a giant Trump button and tell me..oh Jesus
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) December 29, 2016
Meanwhile, Linette Lopez, senior finance correspondent for Business Insider, thought she was seeing a “crack head” version of King Jaffe Joffer, who is the king of fictional African country Zamunda — played by James Earl Jones — in the 1988 comedy “Coming to America.”
Don King looks like crack head King Jaffe Joffer. https://t.co/iAyFVhF5Nw
— Linette Lopez (@lopezlinette) December 29, 2016
“Even for this transition,” Sacramento Bee associate editor Foon Rhee found the image of Trump and King standing together “truly bizarre.”
Even for this transition, the scene with @realDonaldTrump and flag-holding Don King is truly bizarre. Photo courtesy of Evan Vucci/AP. pic.twitter.com/zsh6t3VKYl
— Foon Rhee (@foonrhee) December 29, 2016
Others questioned why King, who made a career out of working with and promoting boxing legends like Muhammad Ali and George Forman, was discussing the sensitive Middle East issue with the next commander-in-chief.
“I didn’t think we’d reach the point where we ask Don King about Israel/Palestinian conflict, but what do I know,” said Salvador Hernandez of Buzzfeed.
I didn’t think we’d reach the point where we ask Don King about Israel/Palestinian conflict, but what do I know https://t.co/cBhhWLLODC
— Salvador Hernandez (@SalHernandez) December 29, 2016
One journalist wondered if because King has killed two people — one in self-defense and ruled to be “justifiable homicide”; the other ruled second-degree murder, but King was later pardoned — there would have been “uproar” if King had made a similar appearance with President Obama.
Imagine the uproar if Barack Obama pulled this stunt with Don King, who killed two people: pic.twitter.com/zjlC2tBVeV
— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) December 29, 2016
Still, not all of the social media commentary was negative.
Radio host Carmine Sabia mused about the prospects of Trump and King performing together in a “buddy cop movie.”
Don King walking into Trump’s party holding American and Israeli flags is fantastic. I can see them doing a buddy cop movie.
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) December 29, 2016
