Trump fires back after Democrat ridicules his Reflecting Pool remarks

US President Donald Trump and Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu exchanged heated remarks on social media Tuesday following Trump’s comments about renaming the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, with both engaging in personal attacks.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called Lieu a "Lightweight Congressman" and "one of the least respected in Washington, D.C.," accusing him of making a "knowingly malicious, false, and defamatory statement" that he wanted to rename the Reflecting Pool the "Trump Reflecting Pool."

Trump said he made the remark “in a jocular manner” and added immediately after: “Don’t worry, I’m only joking.” He claimed “All of the gathered Reporters laughed.”

"But 'Lightweight' Lieu, his new moniker, didn’t add the line that I’m only joking because he is a FRAUD," Trump said, adding it was done at a news conference and "even the Media was aghast that Lieu would have lied like that."

"He’s a Third Rate Congressman, and always will be!" he said.

Lieu responded in a post on the US social media platform X, saying: "What are Trump and his Republican enablers focused on? Changing the name of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to the Trump Reflecting Pool. Punish them at the ballot box. Repudiate them. Vote."

In a separate post, Lieu wrote: "Dear White House: Please thank the Lame Duck POTUS for continuing to remind the American people about his Reflecting Pool FUBAR."

"Since Trump dodged the military, you may need to explain FUBAR to him," he said, adding: "Oh, and was Trump joking about putting his name on the Kennedy Center too?"

Lieu also said on X that he switched to intermittent fasting and lost weight.

"POTUS has been commenting on men’s bodies lately, so I’m tickled that he noticed," he said, adding that Trump "may also want to try intermittent fasting because he’s on the heavy side."

"Oh, and I added to my Twitter profile in honor of Trump’s post," Lieu said.