On Wednesday, an impeachment inquiry witness invited by House Democrats invoked the name of President Donald Trump’s 13-year-old son to take a shot at the president.
Suggesting that Trump thinks himself a king, Stanford Law School Professor Pamela Karlan told the House Judiciary Committee: “So while the president can name his son Barron, he can’t make him a baron.”
The backlash was fierce, even triggering a response from First Lady Melania Trump herself, as noted by The Daily Wire.
Karlan was seemingly forced into delivering an apology later in the day, though it was not received as sincere by many since she used the same breath to take another shot at the president.
“I want to apologize for what I said earlier about the president’s son,” Karlan said. “It was wrong of me to do that. I wish the president would apologize, obviously, for the things that he’s done that’s wrong, but I do regret having said that.”
Pamela Karlan: "I want to apologize for what I said earlier about the president's son. It was wrong of me to do that. I wish the president would apologize, obviously, for the things that he's done that's wrong, but I do regret having said that." pic.twitter.com/7lYiRWCKjw
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 4, 2019
Here’s a sampling of some of the reactions to the professor’s “apology“:
“A ‘conditional’ ‘apology’ is NO apology.”
“I don’t accept her apology, she should have apologized and not tried to turn her mistake on her president.”
“The second she mentions the [president] apologizing..at that time her apology becomes illegitimate..”
“I cant believe this ridiculous woman is involved in this, she is incredibly biased and very insanely open about it.”
“The classic non-apology apology. She is just a horrible person and I can’t believe [Stanford Law] #StanfordLaw would employ such a poor character person.”
“Then she shouldn’t have said it. And what is even worse, all the democrats laughed at it. Adults bullying children. Pretty d@mn sick. What a wicked group of evil bullies. We must vote these democrats out ASAP.”
“‘I’m sorry for what I said, even though we both know you said bad stuff too. But, if you insist on getting an apology, ok, fine. I guess.'”
“That’s one hell of an ‘apology’ which of course she didn’t mean and just wants all of the heat taken off her.”
“Not an apology, a justification.”
“‘I’m sorry, but not sorry. On a similar note, trump=bad and needs to apologize too. That’s my unbiased testimony.'”
“What a total non-apology…”
As for Mrs. Trump, the First Lady came out swinging, telling Karlan she should “be ashamed.”
“A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics,” Mrs. Trump posted via Twitter on Wednesday. “Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.”
A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics. Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) December 4, 2019
Donald Trump Jr., Barron’s half-brother, responded, too.
“Remember only children of Liberals (even the 50 year old children) are off limits,” the eldest Trump son posted. “That a 13 year old is fair game for partisan hacks on a national platform shows you all you need to know about the new left and who is now running the ship.”
Remember only children of Liberals (even the 50 year old children) are off limits. That a 13 year old is fair game for partisan hacks on a national platform shows you all you need to know about the new left and who is now running the ship. https://t.co/DQZNh4hLTf
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 4, 2019
Trump Jr. later added: “I guess this explains why this partisan ‘scholar’ it would go on national TV and try to make a joke out of a 13-year-old child. Obviously no bias here GTFO with this nonsense already.”
I guess this explains why this partisan “scholar” it would go on national TV and try to make a joke out of a 13-year-old child. Obviously no bias here🙄 GTFO with this nonsense already. pic.twitter.com/3QdN1nju4h
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 4, 2019
View Karlan’s comments, below:
Prof. Pamela Karlan now invoking 13-year-old Barron Trump to dunk on @realDonaldTrump.
Cool cool. pic.twitter.com/gXkgzHB910
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) December 4, 2019