Borat praises Donald Trump on Twitter ahead of new film
A parody Twitter account styled to represent the government of Kazakhstan but apparently in promotion of the forthcoming Borat sequel, has praised Donald Trump’s performance in the recent US presidential debate.
“Congratulation to great friend of the Kazakh people @realDonaldTrump for winning debate today!” it read. “Impressive and amazing result for a strong premier who always put America and Kazakhstan first!”
An accompanying video, voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat, offers a preview of the new film – released on Amazon on 23 October, two weeks before the election. Statements by Borat about Trump’s competence and supremacy play over apparently contradictory news footage.
“He not racist,” says Borat, over clips of NFL players taking the knee, “black guys love him so much they kneel before him.”
Other aspects of Trump’s track record up for discussion appear to be his treatment of women, his military record, his health (“Never had stroke,” says Borat, over clips of Trump struggling with stairs or a bottle of water) and his handling of the Covid pandemic.
“Because of Trump, 350 million Americans still alive,” says Borat, before concluding: “Vote for Premier Trump or you will be crushed.”
The account began tweeting on 27 September, mostly with apparent weather updates and previews of mundane governmental business. But a change in tone was noted during the debate, as the account chronicled connection problems before “using wifi of neighbouring assholes Uzbekistan! Watching debate again!”
During the debate, the account also “fact-checked” Joe Biden’s claims for the efficacy of face coverings in stopping the spread of coronavirus, saying that the “urine therapy” pioneered by Trump was the “only proven facial protection”.
Overnight, Baron Cohen also tweeted a film poster featuring Borat using a face mask as a mankini on what appears to be a nod to the infamous garment worn to promote the first film in Cannes.
A trailer, released later on Thursday, shows Borat returning to America with the intention of “gifting” his teenage daughter to an American.
One scene shows him interrupting a speech by vice president Mike Pence, dressed as Donald Trump. It also reveals the film’s full title: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan