Donald J.Trump calls pro-algae protestor “crazy” and “likely paid” in Truth Social post

mocked a demonstrator whose sign referenced a famous post-World War II quote about silence in the face of oppression.

GERMANY — Donald J.Trump targeted a pro-algae protestor he called “crazy” and “likely paid” in a Truth Social post on June 22, 2026 at 5:04 PM EST.

Here is the full post (see truthsocial): “Here is another example of a crazy pro-algae (likely paid) protestor. The sign says, “First they came for the algae…” which is in reference to a famous post-WW2 statement about Germans not speaking out against the Nazis: “…Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.””

Trump described the protestor’s sign as a reworking of the poem attributed to German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller. The original text warned against political apathy during the rise of the Nazi regime and has become one of the most cited statements about the dangers of silence in the face of injustice (see truthsocial).

The protestor adapted the Niemöller quote to reference algae, substituting the original victims with the aquatic organism. Trump offered no evidence for his claim that the protestor was paid, a charge he has leveled at demonstrators on prior occasions. The post included an attached image of the protestor, though the image could not be independently verified.

Trump’s remarks fall within the broader category of domestic security and protest activity. Zenger analysis found that in the last 30 days, 1 of 636 Trump posts addressed the topic of domestic security and crime, including 1 on the sub-topic of riots, protesters, and Minneapolis.

The Niemöller poem, which first circulated in the late 1940s, has been invoked across the political spectrum to criticize perceived government overreach. Its use at a protest focused on algae policy suggests the demonstrator viewed environmental regulation as an issue of civil liberties, though Trump framed the reference as absurd.