Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer criticized President Trump on Thursday for mocking “thousand points of light,” the poetic phrase once used by former President George H.W. Bush.
“This is so uncalled for. Going after a 94-year-old, former President’s promotion of volunteerism,” Fleischer wrote on Twitter.
Fleischer, who served as a press secretary for Bush’s son, former President George W. Bush, was referring to comments Trump made during a campaign rally Thursday evening in Montana.
Trump, in a speech going after Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), touted his own “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.
“And by the way, you know all the rhetoric you see here — the ‘thousand points of light.’ What the hell was that by the way? Thousand points of light. What did that mean? Does anyone know?” the president said.
The elder Bush used the phrase during his inauguration speech in 1989 to describe community organizations.
Trump on Thursday noted he knew a Republican used the phrase.
“I know one thing. ‘Make America Great Again’ we understand. Putting America first we understand. Thousand points of light — I never quite got that one,” Trump said.
“What the hell was that? Has anyone ever figured that one out? And it was put out by a Republican, wasn’t it?” he added.