After the standoff between tech bros and MAGA came to a head with Donald Trump taking the side of Elon Musk on H-1B visas, his racist supporters had to learn how to tamp down their racism enough to still agree with everything Donald Trump ever says.

That’s rule number one of being MAGA: Never disagree with Donald Trump, even if he’s proved hilariously wrong.

But now the unwashed masses face another dilemma with the tough-talking president-elect. Do they have to be nice about the recently passed Jimmy Carter if Trump is nice? The answer to that, so far, is a resounding no.

Trump posted a tribute to Carter on his Truth Social account that was uncharacteristically kind. Trump has had very negative things to say about Carter, and made interminable jokes at his expense. It’s completely understandable, then, that his supporters would be confused and angered by his comments on the former president.

Trump wrote:

I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History.

The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.

The challenges, of course, were insurmountable for Carter’s brief presidency: The Iran hostage crisis (during which Reagan secretly negotiated the hostages’ release so he could use it to beat Carter in the election of 1980), the oil crisis, the Three Mile Island accident, the Nicaraguan Revolution, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

For a president as steeped in humanitarian causes as Carter, he didn’t stand a chance against a geopolitical climate like that. I doubt that Trump meant all of that, but I’d like to think he at least acknowledges that Carter had it worse than many other presidents. Maybe any besides Hoover.

But Carter’s detractors on social media couldn’t help themselves.

Theodore Winters wrote, “lol , I know you’re being nice. But you’re tripping. 😂 Carter was a terrible president and damaged The United States Of America to such an extent that we are STILL dealing with his horribly policy decisions and his inflation repercussions in 2024. 🤦🏻‍♂️ I get it. He just passed. And we have to be respectful and nice. But let’s still keep it real.”

I don’t think Ted there understands that any President’s economic policies aren’t felt until the administration after their first term. That is to say, any one-term president is no longer in office before any of their economic policies are felt. But then, I wouldn’t expect someone who thinks the inflation caused by the pandemic and Trump’s economic policies were Biden’s fault to understand that.

User “Commieskillpuppies” offered much the same: “I appreciate your graciousness toward him but it won’t win you any points from the leftists. They’re soulless. Besides a skunk by any other name would still stink to high heaven. He was not a good President. But he wasn’t our worst. Biden wins that award.”

I’m pretty sure this user with the very unique name has never read any best-of list of presidents that’s ever been published, because Joe sits right around the middle, while Trump hasn’t been listed any higher than fourth-worst on any poll since he took office in January of 2017.

“Awake Through the Illusion,” a Truth Social poster who’s clearly a QAnon fan as well, offered this gem: “Another wrinkled flag casket funeral to keep an eye out for. 🧐 In military code, a ‘wrinkled flag’ is often interpreted as a symbol representing a traitor, as a properly displayed flag should be crisp and unwrinkled, signifying respect and honor; a wrinkled flag therefore implies a lack of loyalty or betrayal of the cause.”

I’m not sure where they got that, but it’s a common QAnon belief. Also, I’d love to see the section of “military code” that discusses hidden symbolism in funerals.

A user calling herself “chicabonita2145” was as blunt as any of them: “Jimmy Carter was the worst President in history ,he sold the Panama Canal for $1 to settle a dispute . Also the Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States. Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days (November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981). The hostages were released just as Ronald Reagan was being inaugurated as President.”

Please note that these are direct copy-pastes from Truth Social. The people who post there are somewhat less than literate.

We’ll see if Trump makes any jokes with “Carter was the worst until Biden” punchlines any time soon. You know he’s just dying to.