Former MSNBC presenter Keith Olbermann has ignited a significant social media backlash after making disparaging comments about Melania Trump's English language skills and Slovenian accent. The controversy erupted as the First Lady's new documentary film prepared for its United States release.
Olbermann's Controversial Social Media Posts
Olbermann took to platform X on Wednesday to criticise Melania Trump's linguistic abilities, writing: '30 years in this country and still virtually - and, here, hilariously - unintelligible.' His comments came in response to the First Lady's appearance on Fox News, where she praised her husband, President Donald Trump, as a unifying figure.
During the interview, Melania Trump stated: 'I think he is unifier. He is unifier, not just here in United States but around the world.' She continued: 'He stopped many wars. As well here in United States, it's a lot of opposition - and that's the problem, right?' The First Lady acknowledged that people might not agree with all of President Trump's actions but called for national unity, saying: 'They just need to come on the same page and see that he wants to make America only safer and better.'
Social Media Condemnation and Accusations of Hypocrisy
The response to Olbermann's remarks was swift and overwhelmingly critical across social media platforms. Numerous users defended Melania Trump's multilingual capabilities while condemning what they perceived as xenophobic undertones in Olbermann's commentary.
One X user responded: 'English is her second language and she still makes more sense than you.' Another commenter questioned: 'You're really making fun of an immigrant for having an accent?' This user further accused Olbermann of hypocrisy, noting his frequent criticism of right-wing xenophobia while engaging in similar behaviour.
Several social media participants shared personal experiences with immigrant family members to highlight the insensitivity of Olbermann's remarks. One individual wrote: 'Hey a**hole. Both my parents were immigrants. My father had a heavy Polish accent and never lost it.' The same user labelled Olbermann 'nothing but a f***ing bigot' following his inflammatory post.
Another commenter related the situation to his own family circumstances, stating: 'Yeah, I let my immigrant wife, electrical engineer stepson and mechanical engineer stepdaughter know every day how hilariously stupid they are because they have accents.'
Melania Trump's Linguistic Background and Documentary Release
Melania Trump, born in Slovenia when it was part of Yugoslavia, relocated to New York in 1996. As the first naturalised citizen to serve as First Lady, she revealed in a 2016 MSNBC interview that she speaks five languages: English, Slovenian, Italian, French, and German.
This linguistic achievement was highlighted by another X user who challenged: 'She speaks five languages. How many can you? or any of the hypocrite leftists?' This commenter characterised Olbermann's tweet as symptomatic of 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' and accused the political left of xenophobia and misogyny.
The controversy unfolded as Melania Trump's eponymous documentary film prepared for its Friday release in the United States. The documentary chronicles the twenty days leading up to President Trump's second inauguration in January. Amazon secured distribution rights for the film in a landmark forty-million-dollar deal, representing the largest documentary agreement in cinematic history.
Premiere Attendance and Ongoing Political Animosity
Thursday's exclusive premiere featured numerous Trump administration figures, including Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., walking the red carpet. Olbermann subsequently posted on X that 'nobody of consequence' had attended the star-studded debut gala, adding the dismissive comment: 'Just Trump Trash.'
This incident represents the latest chapter in Olbermann's longstanding criticism of the Trump family, which dates back to the President's first term in office. Earlier this month, the former SportsCenter anchor also condemned President Trump for the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, calling for immediate impeachment and removal from office following the arrest.
The social media storm surrounding Olbermann's comments highlights ongoing tensions regarding immigration, language proficiency, and political discourse in contemporary American society, while raising questions about appropriate commentary regarding public figures' linguistic backgrounds and accents.
