Trump criticizes ‘wacko’ Bette Midler over West Virginia remarks

Former President Trump is slamming Bette Midler as a “wacko” following the singer’s controversial remarks about West Virginia voters.

The “Hocus Pocus” star — one of Hollywood’s most vocal Trump critics — faced fierce backlash after a Monday tweet calling out Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and his home state.

Manchin, Midler said, wants the rest of the country to be like West Virginia: “Poor, illiterate and strung out.” The criticism appeared to be in response to Manchin blocking Democrats’ social and climate spending package in the 50-50 Senate.

What #JoeManchin, who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn, has done to the rest of America, who wants to move forward, not backward, like his state, is horrible. He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate and strung out.

— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 20, 2021

The 76-year-old Academy Award-winner quickly issued an apology to “the good people of [West Virginia],” writing to her 2 million followers, “I’m just seeing red; #JoeManchin and his whole family are a criminal enterprise. Is he really the best WV has to offer its own citizens?”

I apologize to the good people of WVA for my last outburst. I’m just seeing red; #JoeManchin and his whole family are a criminal enterprise. Is he really the best WV has to offer its own citizens? Surely there’s someone there who has the state’s interests at heart, not his own!

— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 20, 2021

Trump jumped on Midler’s initial remarks in a Thursday statement, saying she said “horrible things about the great people of West Virginia and Joe Manchin.”

“But when I say much less offensive things about her, everybody goes wild,” Trump said.

Teasing a potential forthcoming memoir, Trump said, “Don’t worry, I’ll tell the real facts about her in my book.”

The 45th president and Midler have long been engaged in a war of words even before he entered the White House. In 2012, the then-New York real estate developer called Midler an “extremely unattractive woman.” Trump also took aim at the Kennedy Center Honors recipient in 2014, saying her Oscars performance that year “sucked.” In 2019, Trump blasted Midler as a “washed up psycho” for sharing a fake quote about him.

Sometimes I think Whats-his-name is a kind of vampire and someone needs to drive a stake through his heart, so we can #breatheagain. Of course, he’s driven a lot of steak through his own heart tho, so…fingers crossed!

— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 16, 2020

Midler has branded Trump a “vampire” and a “short-sighted little man” during their many feuds.

It’s not the first time that one of the “Wind Beneath my Wings” singer has been under fire for a Twitter post — she was widely criticized in 2019 for mocking Melania Trump’s accent during the then-first lady’s speech at the White House.