Critics piled on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for the politically charged insults he delivered in a warm-up speech for President Donald Trump at the Great American State Fair.
The cabinet official saluted the Marine Band and three performers – Lee Greenwood, Christopher Macchio and Alexis Wilkins, the country singer and girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel – at Wednesday's event on the National Mall, but Duffy then slurred acts who pulled out of the festivities as "libtards."
"I think we have to give a big round of applause for our military band and singers," Duffy said in a video posted on X to cheers. "Way better than those libtards that canceled on us. So much better. Thank you guys. President Trump will make you famous."
Duffy's remarks didn't sit well with many social media users, who said his politicized remarks showed why the performers – including country star Martina McBride, The Commodores, Morris Day and The Time, Milli Vanilli, rapper Young MC, and Poison frontman Bret Michaels – had canceled their appearances.
"Classy. Very classy," slow-clapped blogger Hemant Mehta.
"Sean Duffy is unqualified for his job, and has spent more of his time doing reality TV than protecting Americans," booed political scientist Norm Ornstein.
"Trump admin: 'why'd they cancel, it's nonpartisan' – Also Trump admin: 'f---in libtards,'" observed political commentator Jessiah Eberlin.
"In one sentence, Duffy both complains about the musical acts who canceled and completely legitimizes their stated reason for doing so," noted CNN's Aaron Blake.
"You called all the musicians who turned down Trump’s invitation r-----ed while your special needs daughter stood there waiting for her next photo op," jeered the popular PoliticsOhMyGawd account. "You’re garbage and she’ll figure it out when she’s older."
"You have a daughter with Down syndrome and called artists who didn’t want to perform, 'libtards' you’re a disgrace," agreed X user fjr.
"7 month vacation a--hole says what? F this guy," seethed disabled rights activist James Tate.
"F---ing hell, a high ranking Cabinet member using a term like 'libtard' in official, public remarks??" sighed popular X user Jazzmom 2.0. "How much lower into the gutter are we going to descend?"
"I don’t think it’s a partisan statement to say he should resign for this," opined widely followed X user J.J. Abbott. "Beyond the pale and deeply inappropriate."