Guess who suddenly has a ‘TACO' allergy? How a tasty sounding acronym haunts Trump
In the annals of four-letter words and acronyms Donald Trump has long hitched his political fortunes on, the word 'taco' may be easy to overlook.
There's MAGA, most famously. DOGE, courtesy of Elon Musk. Huge (pronounced yuge, of course). Wall, as in the one he continues to build on the U.S.-Mexico border. 'Love' for himself, 'hate' against all who stand in his way.
There's a four-letter term, however, that best sums up Trump's shambolic presidency, one no one would've ever associated with him when he announced his first successful presidential campaign a decade ago.
Taco.
His first use of the most quintessential of Mexican meals happened on Cinco de Mayo 2016, when Trump posted a portrait of himself grinning in front of a giant taco salad while proclaiming 'I Love Hispanics!' Latino leaders immediately ridiculed his Hispandering, with UnidosUS president Janet Murguia telling the New York Times that it was 'clueless, offensive and self-promoting' while also complaining, 'I don't know that any self-respecting Latino would even acknowledge that a taco bowl is part of our culture.'
I might've been the only Trump critic in the country to defend his decision to promote taco salads. After all, it's a dish invented by a Mexican American family at the old Casa de Fritos stand in Disneyland. But also because the meal can be a beautiful, crunchy thing in the right hands. Besides, I realized what Trump was doing: getting his name in the news, trolling opponents, and having a hell of a good time doing it while welcoming Latinos into his basket of deplorables as he strove for the presidency. Hey, you couldn't blame the guy for trying.
Guess what happened?
Despite consistently trashing Latinos, Trump increased his share of that electorate in each of his presidential runs and leaned on them last year to capture swing states like Arizona and Nevada. Latino Republican politicians made historic gains across the country in his wake — especially in California, where the number of Latino GOP legislators jumped from four in 2022 to a record nine.
The Trump taco salad tweet allowed his campaign to present their billionaire boss to Latinos as just any other Jose Schmo ready to chow down on Mexican food. It used the ridicule thrown at him as proof to other supporters that elites hated people like them. Trump must have at least felt confident the taco salad gambit from yesteryear worked because he reposted the image on social media this Cinco de Mayo, adding the line 'This was so wonderful, 9 years ago today!'
It's not exactly live by the taco, die by the taco. (Come on, why would such a tasty force of good want to hurt anyone)? But Trump is suddenly perturbed by the mere mention of TACO.
That's an acronym mentioned in a Financial Times newsletter earlier this month that means Trump Always Chickens Out. The insult is in reference to the growing belief in Wall Street that people who invest in stocks should keep in mind that the president talks tough on tariffs but never follows through because he folds under pressure like the Clippers. Or a taco, come to think of it.
Trump raged when CNBC reporter Megan Cassella asked him about TACO at a White House press conference this week.
'Don't ever say what you said,' the commander in chief snarled before boasting about how he wasn't a chicken and was actually a tough guy. 'That's a nasty question.'
No other reporter followed up with TACO questions, because the rest of the internet did. Images of Trump in everything from taco suits to taco crowns to carnivorous tacos swallowing Trump whole have bloomed ever since. News outlets are spreading Trump's out-of-proportion response to something he could've just laughed off, while 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' just aired a parody song to the tune of 'Macho Man' titled — what else? — 'Taco Man.'
The TACO coinage is perfect: snappy, easily understandable, truthful and seems Trump-proof. The master of appropriating insults just can't do anything to make TACO his — Trump Always Cares Outstandingly just doesn't have the same ring. It's also a reminder that Trump's anti-Latino agenda so far in his administration makes a predictable mockery of his taco salad boast and related Hispandering.
In just over four months, Trump and his lackeys have tried to deport as many Latino immigrants — legal and illegal — as possible and has threatened Mexico — one of this country's vital trading partners — with a 25% tariff. He has signed executive orders declaring English the official language of the United States and seeking to bring back penalties against truck drivers who supposedly don't speak English well enough at a time when immigrants make up about 18% of the troquero force and Latinos are a big chunk of it.
Meanwhile, the economy — the main reason why so many Latinos went for Trump in 2024 in the first place — hasn't improved since the Biden administration and always seems one Trump speech away from getting even wobblier.
As for Latinos, there are some signs Trump's early presidency has done him no great favors with them. An April survey by the Pew Research Center — considered the proverbial gold standard when it comes to objectively gauging how Latinos feel about issues — found 27% of them approve of how he's doing as president, down from 36% back in February.
Trump was always an imperfect champion of the taco's winning potential, and not because the fish tacos at his Trump Grill come with French fries (labeled 'Idaho' on the menu) and the taco salad currently costs a ghastly $25. He never really understood that a successful taco must appeal to everyone, never shatter or rip apart under pressure and can never take itself seriously like a burrito or a snooty mole.
The president needs to move on from his taco dalliance and pay attention to another four-letter word, one more and more Americans utter after every pendejo move Trump and his flunkies commit:
Help.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
10 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
The Latest: Trump planning for Putin-Zelenskyy meeting while affirming security guarantees
President Donald Trump said he's begun arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss a pathway to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Trump affirmed that the U.S. would back European security guarantees but stopped short of committing U.S. troops to a collective effort to prevent Moscow from reinvading its neighbor. Relying on the false information and conspiracy theories that he's regularly used to explain away his 2020 election loss, Trump has pledged again to get rid of both mail voting, used by about one-third of all voters, and voting machines used in nearly all of the nation's election jurisdictions. Based on the Constitution, U.S. elections are managed by the states, and there is little to no way for Trump to change this. Trump says he didn't speak with Putin with European leaders in the room The president said he thought it would have been disrespectful to handle the phone call that way since Putin and the European leaders meeting with him at the White House haven't had the 'warmest relations.' But despite that, he said during an interview on Fox News Channel's 'Fox and Friends' that he has managed to maintain a 'very good relationship' with Putin. Trump was holding talks at the White House on Monday with Zelenskyy and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the European Union and NATO on ending Russia's war on Ukraine The president, in a morning interview on 'Fox & Friends,' said that he's optimistic a deal can be made to bring an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But Trump underscored that Ukraine will have to set aside both its hope of a returned Crimea, which Russia seized by force in 2014, and its aspirations to join the NATO military alliance. 'Both of those things are impossible,' Trump said. Putin, as part of any potential deal, is looking for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as recognition of Crimea as Russian territory. Government argued 'Alligator Alcatraz' lawsuits need a different court The state and federal government had argued that even though the isolated airstrip where the facility is located is owned by Miami-Dade County, Florida's southern district was the wrong venue since the detention center is located in neighboring Collier County, which is in the state's middle district. The defendants made an identical argument last week about jurisdiction for a second lawsuit in which environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe sued to stop further construction and operations at the Everglades detention center until it's in compliance with federal environmental laws. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami has yet to rule on the venue question. On Aug. 7 she ordered a 14-day halt on additional construction during a hearing last week and said she plans to rule before the order expires this week. Judge dismisses part of lawsuit against 'Alligator Alcatraz' lawsuit A federal judge in Miami dismissed part of a lawsuit over the legal rights of detainees at the 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center and moved the case to a different jurisdiction. U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz's 47-page ruling late Monday says claims the detainees lack confidential access to their lawyers or to immigration hearings were rendered moot when the Trump administration recently designated the Krome North Processing Center near Miami as a site for their cases to be heard. The judge heard arguments from both sides in a hearing earlier Monday in Miami. Civil rights attorneys were seeking a preliminary injunction to ensure detainees at the facility have access to their lawyers and can get a hearing. Next steps in the negotiations turn back to Putin Trump, who bragged on numerous occasions during the campaign that he could settle Russia's war in Ukraine in a day, said repeatedly Monday that it was far more complicated than he ever thought it would be. But he also suggested — likely implausibly — that the fighting that has raged for years could wind down quickly. 'A week or two weeks, we'll know whether we're going to solve this, or if this horrible fighting is going to continue,' said Trump, even suggesting the issues yet to be hammered out weren't 'overly complex.' Still, much remains unresolved, including red lines that are incompatible — like whether Ukraine will cede any land to Russia, the future of Ukraine's army and whether the country will ultimately have lasting and meaningful security guarantees. Zelenskyy says meeting with Putin should be held 'without any conditions' Zelenskyy says that if he starts to set conditions for the meeting, regarding a potential ceasefire or other matters, then Russia will want to set conditions, too, potentially jeopardizing those talks. 'That's why I believe that we must meet without any conditions,' he told reporters. Zelenskyy said Trump showed him a map of the Ukraine front lines in the Oval Office and they got into a little debate about territories it showed. But they didn't argue, he said. 'We had a truly warm, good and substantial conversation,' Zelenskyy said. NATO leader says 'Article 5 kind of security guarantees' will be discussed in coming days NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says Trump agreed that the United States would contribute to Ukraine's security following a peace deal, a development he called 'a breakthrough.' Membership in NATO is not on the table, but the U.S. and European leaders are discussing 'Article 5 kind of security guarantees for Ukraine,' Rutte said in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Article 5 of the NATO treaty says an attack on one member nation is an attack on all members, the heart of the transatlantic defense compact. Details around U.S. involvement in Ukraine 'will be discussed over the coming days,' which will give Zelenskyy the clarity he needs to decide whether Ukrainians can remain safe following a peace deal. 'It is important to also know what the situation will be with the security guarantees to prevent Vladimir Putin from ever, ever trying again to invade parts of Ukraine,' Rutte said. The possibility of U.S. troops in Ukraine was not discussed Monday, he said. DC told of intent to arm National Guard troops Washington has been informed about the intent for the National Guard to be armed, though it has not received details about when that could happen or where armed Guard members could be deployed in D.C., according to a person familiar who was not authorized to disclose the plans and spoke on condition of anonymity. It would be a departure from what the Pentagon and Army have said about the troops being unarmed. The Army said in a statement last week that 'weapons are available if needed but will remain in the armory.' Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson also said last week that troops won't be armed. In response to questions about whether Guard members in Washington would be armed in the coming days, the District of Columbia National Guard said troops 'may be armed consistent with their mission and training.' Maj. Melissa Heintz, a spokesperson for the D.C. Guard, didn't provide more details and said 'their presence is focused on supporting civil authorities and ensuring the safety of the community they serve.'
San Francisco Chronicle
10 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Nexstar Media Group buying Tegna in deal worth $6.2 billion
Nexstar Media Group is buying broadcast rival Tegna for $6.2 billion, which will help strengthen its local news offerings. The transaction, if approved, will bring together two major players in U.S. television and the country's local news landscape. Nexstar oversees more than 200 owned and partner stations in 116 markets nationwide today and also runs networks like The CW and NewsNation. Meanwhile, Tegna owns 64 news stations across 51 markets. 'The initiatives being pursued by the Trump administration offer local broadcasters the opportunity to expand reach, level the playing field, and compete more effectively with the Big Tech and legacy Big Media companies that have unchecked reach and vast financial resources," Nexstar Chairman and CEO Perry Sook said in a statement on Tuesday. 'We believe Tegna represents the best option for Nexstar to act on this opportunity.' Nexstar said Tuesday that the deal will also help it give advertisers a bigger variety of local and national broadcast and digital advertising options. Nexstar will pay $22 in cash for each share of Tegna's outstanding stock. The deal could potentially help kick off even further consolidation in America's broadcast industry. Nexstar, founded in 1996, has itself grow substantially with acquisitions over the latest two decades, becoming the biggest operator of local TV stations in the U.S. after it purchased Tribune Media back in 2019. Nexstar's purchase of Tegna also arrives amid wider regulatory shifts. Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed chairman the Federal Communications Commission, which will need to give the transaction the green light, has long advocated for loosening industry restrictions. On Aug. 7, the FCC announced that it would be repealing 98 broadcast rules and requirements that it identified as 'obsolete, outdated, or unnecessary.' Some of those rules date back nearly 50 years, the FCC said, and apply to 'old technology that is no longer used." Carr maintained that such provisions no longer serve public interest. In late July, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit also vacated the FCC's 'top four' rule, which has long prohibited ownership of more than one of the top four stations in a single market. The ruling is still subject to a monthslong assessment by the FCC, but could significantly clear the way for future mergers in the industry. In company earnings calls held in early August, before Tegna and Nexstar publicly confirmed merger talks, both Tegna CEO Michael Steib and Nexstar's Sook pointed directly to this ruling, and applauded Carr's deregulation agenda as a whole. 'We believe that deregulation is necessary, important and coming,' Steib said in Tegna's Aug. 7 call, noting that local broadcasters are 'up against big tech competitors who have absolutely no encumbrances in how they compete." Beyond their core broadcast TV businesses, both Nexstar and Tegna also boast digital news, mobile app and streaming offerings, all of which have played key roles for the industry as consumers change the way they consume news and other entertainment. Broadcast TV has been hit particularly hard by 'cord-cutting,' with more and more households trading their cable or satellite subscriptions into content they can get via the internet.
New York Post
10 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump rules out putting ‘American boots on the ground' in Ukraine
President Trump ruled out putting American boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of any US security guarantees to the war-torn nation, but suggested he would provide some form of air protection. Trump insisted that the American public has 'my assurance' when pressed in an interview on 'Fox & Friends' Tuesday morning that there 'won't be American boots on the ground defending that border' in Ukraine. 'Well, you have my assurance,' the president replied. 'I'm president and I'm just trying to stop people from being killed.' President Trump insisted that there 'won't be American boots on the ground defending that border' in Ukraine. AFP via Getty Images Trump asserted that the US would support the Europeans in providing Ukraine with security, hinting that much of that support would be from air power. 'We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you could talk about by air, because there's nobody has the kind of stuff we have,' he said. He noted that the Europeans will likely have boots on the ground in Ukraine.
