But even if Trump is unable to laugh at himself, that hasn’t stopped him from repeatedly claiming to have been “joking” or “kidding” in the wake of several controversial statements.
.. The most recent example, before his purportedly sarcastic remarks about Clinton and Obama being the co-founders of ISIS
.. It is possible to both laugh at what he is saying and to understand that it is deadly serious.
.. Trump isn’t being sarcastic—being sarcastic requires an understanding of nuance, of irony, of playfulness. And just as his politics demonstrate little more awareness of how complex the world actually is than a drunk uncle’s lengthy Facebook comment, Trump displays the same sense of humor: small-minded and mean and totally, totally unfunny.