Donald Trump Accused of Not Knowing the Difference Between Political Asylum and 'Insane Asylums' After Presidential Inauguration: Watch

President Donald Trump was called out by critics on social media who accused him of confusing immigrants applying for asylum with those living in mental institutions.

During one of his Inauguration Day speeches, the POTUS, 78, proclaimed: "All over the world they’re emptying their prisons into our country; they’re emptying their mental institutions into our country."

In response, journalist Aaron Rupar shared the clip to X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption, "Trump will never ever figure out that political asylum claims and insane asylums are different things."

One user in the comments section joked, "He's really not the sharpest tool in the shed," and another wrote, "And we elected him anyways. Imagine how bad the other side must have been."

A third person joked, "You mean the Visas people are getting aren’t credit cards?!" and a fourth person quipped, "Why no mention of the infamous Hannibal Lecter at his inauguration? It was one of his regular rants."

As OK! previously reported, Trump puzzled many voters after repeatedly referencing the "late great Hannibal Lecter" while discussing immigration reform at his 2024 election campaign rallies.

"They’re emptying out their mental institutions into the United States, our beautiful country," Trump said at a May 2024 campaign rally in New Jersey. "They don’t want to report that the mental institution population is down because they’re taking people from insane asylums and from mental institutions. You know what the difference is, right? An insane asylum is a mental institution on steroids."

"Silence of the Lambs. Has anyone ever seen The Silence of the Lambs? The late, great Hannibal Lecter is a wonderful man," he continued. "He oftentimes would have a friend for dinner. Remember the last scene? 'Excuse me. I’m about to have a friend for dinner,' as this poor doctor walked by. ‘I’m about to have a friend for dinner.’ But Hannibal Lecter. Congratulations. The late, great Hannibal Lecter."

Two months later, Trump once again brought up the fictional murderer.

"Did you ever hear of Hannibal Lecter, who’s a lovely man?" he asked the crowd. "He would love to have you for dinner. He will take you. Many people forget it. Well, yeah, we have a lot of people coming in. They always say, 'Oh, that’s terrible for Trump to say! He is rambling about Hannibal Lecter!' No I’m not rambling!"

Former President Bill Clinton even seemed confused by his regular references to the movie character.

"What are they supposed to make to these endless tributes to the late, great Hannibal Lecter?" he said in August. "I mean, President [Barack] Obama once gave me the great honor of saying I was the explainer-in-chief. Folks, I’ve thought about it, and I don't know what to say."