US presidential debate: Hillsong issues apology after employee’s accidental Trump post on Twitter

An accidental mishap on social media has left one Hillsong employee in hot water, after they weighed in on the presidential debate.

An accidental slip up on social media has left one Hillsong employee in hot water after they weighed in on the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

The unnamed employee allegedly logged in to the official Hillsong Twitter account, rather than their own personal one, to vent their disgust with President Trump’s debating technique.

In what’s been dubbed the “worst debate” some commentators have ever seen, the first US presidential debate turned extraordinarily ugly, especially because of the President’s constant interjecting over his opponent.

“Can’t they Just mute Trump’s microphone!!” the tweet, posted from the official Hillsong account, read.

“He is coming across as such a bully. No respect for him sorry.”

The comment, which has since been removed from their account, was followed up with an apology and explanation behind the rogue tweet.

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The employee allegedly posted on Twitter.

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“Earlier today a staff member accidentally posted on this account personal comments about the US presidential debate, that were meant for a personal account,” the apology read.

“Hillsong does not comment on partisan politics & apologies. These comments do not represent the views of Hillsong Church.”

The apology was met with hundreds of comments, with many questioning why the church has an employee with such strong views on President Trump.

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Earlier today a staff member accidentally posted on this account personal comments about the US presidential debate, that were meant for a personal account. Hillsong does not comment on partisan politics & apologizes. These comments do not represent the views of Hillsong Church.

— Hillsong Church (@Hillsong) September 30, 2020

“This is not OK,” one person wrote.

“It is deeply disturbing for someone to suggest that either party in a presidential debate should be silenced. This reveals an utter lack of respect for the political process — and a complete failure to understand the nature of free speech. The church needs to do better.”

“That was a quick delete. Y’all should be embarrassed,” another added.

“It’s hard to believe such a massive account to be managed by someone who does not check what Twitter’s account is using. You should be embarrassed,” another added.

The first presidential debate has been plagued with criticism, with US TV networks anchors and political experts shell-shocked by what they had just witnessed between Trump and Biden.

US political analysts say the first presidential debate was the worst in history. Picture: JIM WATSON and SAUL LOEB / AFP.

NBC anchor Lester Holt, who has moderated presidential debates in the past, described it as a “low point in American political discourse”.

“Frankly, I’m a bit at loss for words here to describe what we’ve just witnessed,” Holt said.

“I think we just need to pause for a moment and say, that was crazy. What was that?” said his colleague Savannah Guthrie.

Over on ABC, George Stephanopoulos said he had never seen a worse debate in his life.

“I have to speak personally here, as somebody who’s watched presidential debates for 40 years, as someone who has moderated presidential debates, as someone who has prepared candidates for presidential debates,” said Stephanopoulos.

“That was the worst presidential debate I have ever seen in my life.”

The network’s White House correspondent, Jon Karl, agreed that the debate was “a total mess”.

– with Sam Clench