Prominent Democrat Takes Swipe at 'Small' Trump

Buttigieg Jabs Trump Over Narrow Election Margin

During his Tuesday, March 4, appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wasted no time taking a swipe at President Donald Trump's 99-minute address to Congress. Buttigieg pointed out that despite Trump's rhetoric, he entered office with "just under 50 percent of the vote," making it the "smallest popular vote margin since Nixon."
With a smirk, Buttigieg added, "I wonder how he feels about something that important being that small in his case." 
Stephen Colbert chimed in, referencing Nixon's infamous nickname while quipping, "To be smaller than Tricky Dick gives one pause."
Here are three takeaways from Buttigieg's Trump takedown, plus how social media responded…
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Comparisons to Obama's 'Crowd Size' Joke

Buttigieg's remark drew comparisons to former President Barack Obama's playful jabs at Trump. At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Obama mocked Trump's "obsession with crowd sizes," using a suggestive hand gesture to imply it wasn't just the crowds on which Trump fixated. 
Buttigieg's line followed a similar theme, using humor to undercut Trump's self-image — something that has long been a sensitive point for the president.

Addressing the Real Concerns of Americans

Shifting to policy, Buttigieg criticized Trump's speech for focusing on distractions rather than real issues. "The State of the Union, I think, is really confused about why our leaders are talking about renaming things on a map instead of getting the price of eggs down," he said. 
The former presidential candidate suggested that Trump's address relied on spectacle rather than substantive solutions, failing to address economic concerns that matter most to everyday Americans.

'Classic Trump'

Buttigieg summed up Trump's address as "Classic Trump," characterizing it as a mix of "darkness and dazzle" but lacking in meaningful policy discussions. He suggested that Trump's political strategy relies heavily on stirring emotions rather than solving problems. 
This, Buttigieg argued, is one reason why the president's approval ratings have struggled to gain traction. "There's a good chunk of people who voted for him, even though they didn't like him, because they thought maybe he was going to make them better off," he explained.

Social Media Reacts

Buttigieg's critique of Trump's speech quickly sparked debate on social media. Some users praised his wit and analysis, with one post reading, "Pete Buttigieg just dismantled Trump with class and intelligence. This is how you do it." 
Others, particularly Trump supporters, dismissed his remarks, with a MAGA-aligned account posting, "Buttigieg is just bitter that he's stuck in [Joe] Biden's failing administration while Trump is making America great again."