Apparently, Donald Trump thought he was extending an olive branch to China by congratulating the country on the anniversary of its founding. But a load of American conservatives were disgusted.

As Mediaite noted:

While Trump may think that his tweet will lead to some positive effect on the trade war between the U.S. and China, the fact remains that the president just bid his compliments to a communist regime that committed numerous atrocities and human rights abuses against its own people for decades. Trump’s tweet also comes just hours after the news broke that a Hong Kong police officer shot a protester for the first time since demonstrations began against China’s tightening of control over the territory.

But when did Trump ever put human rights over his own self interest, in this case a resolution to the trade war that’s not going so well for him?

Congratulations to President Xi and the Chinese people on the 70th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2019

Whatever Trump’s tweet may do for his fortunes with the Chinese, it’s definitely not helping him out with a lot of conservatives here at home. Mediaite found a number of them strongly objecting, including these two Fox News personalities:

This is gross. Celebrating a brutal dictatorship on its survival. https://t.co/AlXd2gZiow

— Brit Hume (@brithume) October 1, 2019

By contrast, here are @Liz_Cheney and @repgallagher on the subject: https://t.co/1gwywW9aW9 pic.twitter.com/Ytu0PSJAcR

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 1, 2019

Hear that noise? It’s another little crack in Trump’s support. Neither Benson nor Hume were ever big Trumpers but they are people Trump could use on his side if he hopes to survive the Ukraine scandal and the likely impeachment to come. And while this tweet probably won’t make a difference, a lot of little cracks often result in one big rupture.

(Trump caricature by DonkeyHotey via Creative Commons license.)