US Vice President Kamala Harris has divided opinion on Twitter by handing out cookies bearing her likeness to reporters. According to Fox News, Ms Harris handed out cookies styled after her official White House portrait to reporters while travelling on a plane to meet with the president of Guatemala - a fact that a section of the Internet has taken objection to. "Handing out cookies with her face on them as the border crisis rages," wrote Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, suggesting that the cookies were a modern-day equivalent of French Queen Marie Antoinette's famous quote - "Let them eat cake. Even as several other Republicans voiced their criticism, Ms Harris found support from a number of people who came to her defense, pointing out that the cookies were gifted to her by a small bakery and she only shared them further with White House reporters on the plane.
The controversy began after USA Today reporter Courtney Subramanian shared a photo of the cookies in question on Twitter.
@vp made an OTR visit to the back of the plane and delivered cookies decorated with the shape of her likeness as well as AF2. pic.twitter.com/TQrUR47Vgc
— Courtney Subramanian (@cmsub) June 7, 2021
Tweets in support of and against Ms Harris flew thick and fast after that.
"As a former Military Aide during the Clinton administration, I never even imagined this level of narcissism," wrote former California congressional candidate Buzz Patterson.
As a former Military Aide during the Clinton administration, I never even imagined this level of narcissism. And, all on YOUR tax dollars America!
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) June 7, 2021
Democrats, even you can't be cool with this.@KamalaHarris
Representative Guy Reschenthaler, a member of the Republican Party, also criticised the Democrat over the cookies.
.@VP is passing out cookies to the press with her face on them while the cartel makes hundreds of millions of dollars smuggling drugs and children across the southern border.
— Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (@GReschenthaler) June 7, 2021
This is all possible thanks to the Biden/Harris Administration's policies. https://t.co/vFIA8gaFA1
Here's what Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tweeted after the photo began to go viral on social media:
Handing out cookies with her face on them as the border crisis rages…
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) June 7, 2021
The modern-day equivalent of “let them eat cake.”https://t.co/iInoYGXXp7
However, many others came to Ms Harris's defense, pointing out that her critics were missing the context of the incident.
"People are missing the context. These cookies were given by a Black owned business and VP gave them to the press," wrote one Twitter user.
People are missing the context. These cookies were given by a black owned business and VP gave them to the press. A little bit context provided by the author of the tweet would've been nice.
— lotus (@tobeafly_) June 7, 2021
"Translation: VP Harris shared her personalized gifts from a Black bakery to the press," another said.
Translation: VP Harris shared her personalized gifts from a Black bakery to the press that has vehemently treated her unkindly. Sounds like selfless, caring Auntie Momala to me. ????????
— Madam Vice President Harris is GOAT! (@flywithkamala) June 7, 2021
Kamala Harris arrived in Guatemala on Sunday (local time) for her first international trip as Vice President. She is taking her first trip abroad as President Joe Biden's deputy with an eye towards tackling the root causes of migration from the region -- one of the thorniest issues facing the White House, reports news agency AFP.
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