Twitter is having a field day with Melania Trump’s “Be Best” campaign

By Marykatemcgrath

May 7, 2018

By Marykatemcgrath

May 7, 2018

In March, Melania Trump announced that, as the First Lady, her advocacy would focus on ending cyberbullying — and it raised a lot of eyebrows. In a press conference on May 7th, the White House hosted the official launch of the initiative and Twitter is already having a field day with Melania Trump’s “Be Best” campaign.

For starters, the odd title of the campaign inspired a lot of laughs online, and so did the irony of an anti-cyberbullying initiative from the Trump administration. After all, Donald Trump notoriously uses Twitter to attack celebrities, senators, and international politicians, slinging cruel names and false accusations at people who oppose him. Still, the First Lady launched the “Be Best” campaign despite initial criticism regarding the platform’s hypocrisy.

In her speech from the White House’s Rose Garden, she outlined the cause: “There are too many critical issues facing children today,” she said. “So the three main pillars of ‘Be Best’ will be include well-being, social media use, and opioid abuse.” The campaign was met with a mixed reaction on social media, and many people couldn’t help but poke fun at the announcement.

While the irony was definitely highlighted, many users also couldn’t help but notice the similarity to a rallying call from Michelle Obama. In a 2016 interview with Oprah, Obama urged men to “be better.” Of course, Melania Trump famously plagiarized a speech from Michelle Obama during the Republican National Convention. The two phrases, “be better” and “be best,” do sound eerily similar — and don’t worry, everyone on Twitter noticed.

Here’s what people are saying about the “Be Best” campaign on social media:

“Be best” sounds like an entire campaign based on an autocorrect error

— Aparna Nancherla (@aparnapkin) May 7, 2018

Comedian Aparna Nancherla has thoughts about the title of the campaign.

Is “Be Best” really all they could come up with? Is that even grammatically correct? DeVos was probably her lead consultant on this one.

— deray (@deray) May 7, 2018

Activist Deray McKesson also had some questions about the name.

“Be best” reminds me of how The Banger Sisters ends with the Vassar-bound valedictorian daughter ending her speech with “Do it true”

— Mara Wilson (@MaraWilson) May 7, 2018

What does “Be Best” even mean?

Melania: Michelle said be better. Well I say be best! Suck on that!

Everyone: but be best at what?

Melania: just be best

Everyone: but we don’t underst—

Melania: BE BEST

Everyone: what do you mean by b—

Melania: JUST BE BEST. BE BESTEST

Everyone: *backs away slowly* https://t.co/MqHlxn9LlJ

— ⚓️Imani Two-Kitchens Gandy⚓️ (@AngryBlackLady) May 7, 2018

Something here is fishy.

"be best" sounds like what to write on a birthday card of someone you work with and have met maybe twice

— anne t donahue (@annetdonahue) May 7, 2018

How much effort went into this name anyway?