The Republican National Convention kicked off yesterday (July 18) in Cleveland. Melania Trump, the wife of the party’s presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, delivered one of the most anticipated speeches of the day. But that anticipation morphed into incredulity when journalist Jarrett Hill realized that a section of Trump’s speech sounded a lot like one First Lady Michelle Obama delivered at the Democratic National Convention in 2008—despite the fact that Trump said she wrote it herself with as “little help as possible.”
VIDEO: Melania Trump told NBC’s Matt Lauer before the speech: "I wrote it…with a little help as possible." https://t.co/MZraa04Goj
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) July 19, 2016
See the section in question—which talks about the importance of working hard—for yourself:
Social media went crazy, prompting Jason Miller, senior communications advisor for the Trump campaign, to issue the following statement:
In writing her beautiful speech, Melania’s team of writers took notes on her life’s inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking. Melania’s immigrant experience and love for America shone through in her speech, which made it such a success.
Yup. Predictably, that statement wasn’t enough to stop the hashtags #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes and #BeckyWithTheBorrowedSpeech from trending. Here are some of the most on point and laugh out loud reactions to the speech.
"Work, work, work, work, work, work
He say me have to
Work, work, work, work, work, work!" #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 19, 2016
When you’ve been taking notes since 2012 #MelaniaTrump #MichelleObama pic.twitter.com/EXI6bbRGQp
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) July 19, 2016
(Receipts)
MO: #BeckyWithTheBorrowedSpeech said "word is bond"
HRC: GGUUURRRLLL, drag her
MO: Oh she’s getting dragged
HRC: pic.twitter.com/zLK60wrOOd— Hercules Mulligan (@johnvmoore) July 19, 2016
@SonofBaldwin as if #stolenfromblackwomen started with #MelaniaSpeeches. We’ve had everything stolen from land to breast milk. #MelaniaTrump
— Mother Justice (@MotherJustice) July 19, 2016
"But in fairness to Melania, she was forced to attend Trump University" #RNCinCLE #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes pic.twitter.com/UgwyVExNjm
— The Baxter Bean (@TheBaxterBean) July 19, 2016
We didnt land on Plymouth rock Plymouth rock landed on us #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes
— Johnnie Cool (@Johnniecoolbm) July 19, 2016
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…" #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes pic.twitter.com/djiofrAxxp
— Chica DeBarge (@AntoinetteJoi87) July 19, 2016
I guess @realDonaldTrump will be giving his "I have a dream" speech later on this week. #MelaniaTrumpQuotes #MelaniaSpeeches
— Mhlengi ‘Nqoba. (@Conqueror_Jr23) July 19, 2016
"I grew up a poor black child"… #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuote #BeckywiththeBorrowedSpeech
— DanielleMoodie-Mills (@DeeTwoCents) July 19, 2016
Barack about to tweet "my wife Michelle, I brag different" #BeckyWithTheBorrowedSpeech pic.twitter.com/9doPh7AucM
— jayla (@jaylabrenaeee) July 19, 2016
*Note: Updated to include link to Jarrett Hill’s original tweet.