Does this Trump tweet ridicule elderly Americans?

A tweet from President Trump, meant as a dig at Democratic rival Joe Biden, set off a Twitter debate Tuesday evening as critics say the posting ridiculed elderly Americans.

The social media missive comes as senior citizens in Florida are in play and could deliver a decisive bloc of votes in the Nov. 3 election. And the content of the tweet seemed to punctuate a charge Biden leveled at the president during a speech in South Florida Tuesday afternoon in which the former vice president charged that Trump views older Americans as "forgettable," "expendable" and "virtually nobody."

More: Biden to woo Florida base after appeals to crossover voters

"To Donald Trump, you are expendable, you are forgettable," Biden said at a senior citizen center in Pembroke Pines. "You are virtually nobody. That's how he sees us. That's how he sees you."

The target of the controversial Trump tweet was Biden. The image had Biden's campaign logo, which reads Biden for President. But the "p" in president had a red "x" crossing it out so that the text instead read as "Biden for Resident."

Above the logo was a photograph from an apparent nursing home or long-term care facility with a group of seniors in wheelchairs. The former vice president's face was photoshopped onto one of the individuals seated in a wheelchair.

Trump's tweet drew immediate backlash on Twitter.

This is one of the most disgusting things Trump has ever tweeted. Who are the other people featured in this photoshopped image? How dare Trump insult people who reside in nursing homes & care facilities. No wonder seniors are abandoning him in droves - this is how he views them!

-- MURRAY ?????? (@murray_nyc) October 14, 2020

Pardon, I do not think these elderly people nor their families would appreciate the photo being altered and used in an attack tweet. You can’t honestly think that 1) it’s approximate Trump did so or 2) if the people in the photos & their families knew, they’d be happy about it?

-- Caitlekins???????????? (@CaitlinKurvink) October 14, 2020

Others defended the president's tweet saying he was simply poking fun at Biden.

It's a nursing home and they're residents! He didn't insult them, only #Biden because he's definitely not up for the rigors of the presidency! Actually his family is cruel to encourage and support this elder abuse.

___

(c)2020 The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Fla.)

Visit The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Fla.) at www.palmbeachpost.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.