Wait, Did Donald Trump Really Just Say He Was Friends With Crooked Hillary?

The name “Crooked Hillary” is officially dead, but Donald Trump is not #sad about it. He has a new recipient for the moniker with which he benighted and beclowned Hillary Clinton in 2016. The name change has supporters of “Ron DeSanctimonious” and “Ron DeSanctus” all spun up.

In April of 2016, when Donald Trump crowned Hillary with one of his most amusing — and accurate — election monikers, the “fake news” media wing of the Democrat Party was outraged and, frankly, stumped. The Daily Beast protested that the nickname was “wildly exaggerated.” How could they report this name without acknowledging what was behind it? Reporters who engage in wordplay every day pretended to be put off by Trump’s rude but hilarious names. But Trump is now making it clear that he has officially retired “Crooked Hillary.” And this is #sad because, besides Crazy Bernie Sanders, Shifty Adam Schiff, and Crazy Nancy Pelosi, it’s one of the most effective shade bombs he’s ever dropped.

Seven years to the month that he bestowed his most successful and shady epithet, Trump announced he was renaming Hillary to “Beautiful Hillary” or “Lovely Hillary.” Few noticed when it was reported by Politico, but over the weekend at the Turning Point USA event in Palm Beach, Fla., Trump’s name-switch became cast in stone and political fodder for the DeSantis campaign.

“I took it away because I don’t believe in the same name for two people — I don’t like that,” Trump said, explaining to the Turning Point audience why he “took the name Crooked from Hillary.”

That catchy name “Crooked” is now Joe Biden’s. And if you’ve paid attention to the news during the past few years you know why it fits, although this reporter believes that Trump could have given Joe another name. His previous name “Sleepy Joe” isn’t too bad, but “Shady Joe” trips off the tongue. Or maybe Godfather Joe because of the alleged criminal enterprise he runs with his brother and consigliere James, and bagman Fredo (Hunter).

Ron DeSantis supporters suggested that something has “happened” to Trump, because the former President said in his comments at Turning Point that “you have to live with that name for the rest of your life and … many of them are now friends of mine.” The DeSantis team hoped to recast Trump’s comments to say he was now “nice to Hillary Clinton … because they are friends.” But making friends with the person who was responsible for faking an entire universe of “evidence” of being a Russian spy, torpedoing his candidacy and his presidency, and costing him tens of millions in legal fees would be a pretty big — and unlikely — turnaround for Trump. Trump was more likely referring to “Lyin’ Ted” Cruz, “Little Marco” Rubio, “Fake News CNN” and the like.

WATCH: Trump announces he's nice to Hillary Clinton now because they are friends.

What happened to Donald Trump?!? pic.twitter.com/FTPfCqTuex

— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) July 16, 2023

Trump’s nicknames have become American campaign lore. But name-calling is to manners what puns are to humor. Considering how the Democrat media complex has done far, far worse to Donald Trump (Russian spy comes to mind), people generally forgive the former president. Indeed, many love his willingness to verbally fight back.

There are plenty of nicknames the Left has tried to make stick to Trump. ABCs Jimmy Kimmel made renaming Trump a personal mission. But his Trumplestilkin never went anywhere, Troompa Loompa fell flat, Commander-in-Beef was a one-and-done, Unhappy Gilmore was a non-starter. He went after Trump for urging the use of therapeutics and available medicines during COVID, calling him “The Hydroxy Horror Picture Show.” Oof. The joke’s Jimmy.

Stories abound about nicknames Trump has doled out over the years. It’s unlikely that Jeb Bush can ever be mentioned without “Low Energy Jeb” coming to mind. Elizabeth Warren will always be Pocahontas, though I think Fauxcahontas was a better moniker. John Kasich’s sobriquet would have been better remembered, but he was only “1 for 38 Kasich” so perhaps that’s why. No one will likely forget “Rocketman,” and I don’t even need to tell you who that is because it is so entrenched in political lore.

Branding opponents works for Trump. “Friend of Hillary” isn’t likely to stick.

Stick with us for your political coverage in this consequential 2024 presidential race. We tell you the truth at PJ Media, even when it comes to this intra-party name-calling. Arm yourself with information with our brand of opinion journalism where satire, humor, and serious coverage collide.

We don’t need to tell you that the Democrats in all facets of government, including the White House, have attempted to kill conservative journalism through censorship on social media. Just read our coverage of the Twitter Files and recent court battles if you doubt it.

Stand up for free speech by becoming a VIP Gold member for unfettered access to the entire Townhall family of sites and live chats. Use the promo code SAVEAMERICA for a 50% discount on your annual membership. Sign up today and help us keep our overlords accountable.