From Cancer Diagnosis to Secret Service: DJ Daniel, Trump, and a Public Moment

In 2018, thirteen-year-old DJ Daniel was diagnosed with brain cancer and given a five-month prognosis. He has since exceeded this prognosis. Prior to his diagnosis, he expressed a desire to become a police officer, inspired by the Houston Police Department’s response to Hurricane Harvey. In 2019, he was made an honorary officer of the Brookshire Police Department in Texas. He received a uniform. He was subsequently subjected to bullying for wearing the uniform, which resulted in widespread public attention. On March 4 during a joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump made him an honorary member of the U.S. Secret Service.

source: www.fox26houston.com

What has Trump in common with DJ Daniel?

Trump introduced DJ to the audience, highlighting his unwavering love for law enforcement. Over the years, DJ and his father embarked on a mission to have him sworn in as an honorary law officer by various police departments, earning admiration and support from law enforcement agencies across the country.

“Tonight, DJ, we’re going to do you the biggest honour of them all: I am asking our new Secret Service Director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service,” Trump announced. The heartwarming moment earned DJ a standing ovation from most of the audience, while many Democrats appeared to remain seated, sparking swift criticism on social media.

Trump administration official Ric Grennell, Outkick founder Clay Travis, and Republican activist Scott Pressler were among those who condemned the Democrats’ reaction on X.

After this heartwarming moment, Trump addressed childhood cancer rates, urging newly appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to “remove toxins from our environment, eliminate poisons from our food supply, and ensure our children remain healthy and strong.”

A video of DJ and his family in the Oval Office after the address later surfaced on social media, capturing the emotional milestone of the young survivor’s journey.

Appreciation of DJ Daniel’s Honorary Membership

Appreciation of DJ Daniel’s Honorary Membership

The honorary membership of DJ Daniel in the US Secret Service, while a symbolic gesture of recognition, has sparked debate and criticism regarding its true significance and the implications of such high-profile honors.

Daniel was held up by his father for the emotional moment as he received his badge from Director Sean Curran, while Republicans in the House gallery chanted “DJ.” However, Democrats remained noticeably silent, refusing to applaud or stand in support of Daniel, who is working to be sworn into as many law enforcement agencies as possible to raise awareness about his condition.

Republicans were outraged by the lack of support from their rivals, with Don Jr. leading the criticism on his father’s platform, Truth Social. He wrote, “If you can’t stand up and cheer for a kid with brain cancer being made an honorary member of the Secret Service, then you might be a deeply disturbed and  f***ed up person!”

Don Jr.’s post received widespread support and was echoed by fellow MAGA loyalists.

Clay Travis, founder of Outkick, tweeted, “Democrats refused to stand for the brain cancer surviving kid! How awful can one party be?”

Ric Grennell, a former official in Trump’s Administration, stated, “A terminally ill child with brain cancer is given an honorary Secret Service award and the Democrats refuse to stand or clap for the child.”

Republican activist Scott Pressler remarked, “Democrats didn’t even stand for the boy who survived brain cancer.”

Miranda Devine, a columnist for the New York Post, tweeted, “Can’t believe the lousy Democrats can’t even applaud a little boy with brain cancer or a Kennedy who wants to Make America Healthy Again.”

Lily Tang Williams, a 2024 congressional nominee, criticized, “The Democrats tonight did not even applaud for this 13-year-old boy with brain cancer. They seemed cold and heartless.”

She added, “Did they have a prior party agreement: no matter what, don’t clap? They have no independent thinking skills.”

Meghan McCain, whose father, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), passed away from brain cancer in 2018, chose not to criticize, but instead expressed admiration for the president for creating such a “beautiful” and “special” moment.

She wrote, “This is the first time I can remember crying during a State of the Union. Thank you, President Trump. This is so beautiful. Anyone who has been impacted by brain cancer knows how special this is.”

The Democrats didn’t even applaud for the 13-year-old boy with brain cancer tonight, appearing cold and heartless, criticized 2024 congressional nominee Lily Tang Williams. She questioned whether they had a prior agreement not to clap, suggesting they lacked independent thinking skills.

 

Criticism of DJ Daniel’s Honorary Membership

Trump’s decision to grant honorary membership to DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old boy with brain cancer, received backlash from critics. While the gesture was presented as an act of compassion, opponents argued that Trump was using the child’s story as a political tool to appeal to voters, raising questions about the sincerity of the tribute.

Democrats, however, voiced doubts about Trump’s gesture, arguing that he was exploiting the Daniels family for political purposes.

Liberal commentator Kyle Kulinski accused Trump of ”using a kid who had brain cancer as a prop”.

”Trump honoring a child with brain cancer tonight and then leading a standing ovation for him while simultaneously eliminating all spending for child cancer research is a perfect encapsulation of MAGA morality,’ ‘wrote self-proclaimed Democrat Carlos Turnbull.

”Not really even sure what to say in response to Trump using a child with brain cancer as a political prop,” added Sam Weinberg, Executive Director of Path to Progress.

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