'If you still support Trump, look in the mirror': The 13-year-old Texas boy who has gone viral for criticizing the presi

https://english.elpais.com/usa/2025-08-07/if-you-still-support-trump-look-in-the-mirror-the-13-year-old-texas-boy-who-has-gone-viral-for-criticizing-the-president-on-social-media.html

‘If you still support Trump, look in the mirror’: The 13-year-old Texas boy who has gone viral for criticizing the president on social media

With over 94,000 followers, Tristan Ryan Perkins uses his Instagram account to denounce the policies implemented by the current Administration

MARISOL JIMÉNEZ
AUG 07, 2025 - 10:13 EDT

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In his most recent video—filled with supportive and admiring comments—Tristan accuses President Donald Trump of cutting funding for cancer research and diverting $200 million to his followers. He then draws a direct line between Trump, Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre, highlighting the abuse she suffered as a minor. His tone is accusatory and deeply pained.

But Tristan doesn’t stop there. Then he raises his voice. He talks about Lawrence Taylor—the former football player accused of sexual assault—and how Trump wants to reinstate the physical fitness test for children in schools. A few seconds later, he issues a warning to those who still support the former president: “If you’re still supporting Trump in August, look in the mirror.”

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He also doesn’t forget history: “We stole a lot of territory from them. Don’t say we conquered it. We stole it. And don’t tell me I don’t love my country. I love it enough to hold it to account.” He asserts that, despite everything, Mexico has been there when it was most needed: “Who was the first to help during the floods in Texas? It wasn’t Kristi Noem, it wasn’t Trump, it wasn’t FEMA. It was Mexico.”

Nearly 100,000 people listen to him. Some call him a “political genius,” others accuse him of being manipulated by his parents. But what they can’t deny is that his eloquent, direct, and simple way of expressing his thoughts has shaken up social media.

// video at link …