Trump Returns to Pre-Election Form in Tweet Calling Protests 'Unfair'

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President-elect Donald Trump tweeted his displeasure Thursday night at "unfair" protests against his election and accused activists of being paid agents egged on by the media, putting an end to a brief stretch of conciliatory behavior since Tuesday.

His tone shifted overnight, however, with the president-elect posting a more measured message early Friday.

His first messaged showed Trump apparently moved to anger at what may be the peak moment of validation of his professional life. Earlier in the day, President Barack Obama had congratulated him in at the White House and offered his support to the man who for years had questioned his legitimacy and citizenship.

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Obama Finds Trump's Recent Tone 'Reassuring'

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Trump's first tweet also marked a departure from his past statements on protests and elections, ushering in a new dynamic now that he's poised to inherit a position of power.

Related: Nationwide Protests Continue as Obama and Trump Meet

As early returns came on Election Night 2012, when he mistakenly believed that Republican Mitt Romney had lost the election while winning the popular vote, Trump tweeted: "We can't let this happen. We should march on Washington and stop this travesty."

In March of this year, he warned of "riots" by his supporters if Republicans refused to make him their party's nominee.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

The tweet Thursday night sparked an immediate backlash, serving as a reminder of the challenges Trump faces matching his outsize personality to the office of the White House, a position that often demands restraint.

At Thursday night's protests in New York, Dymonde Lee, a native New Yorker back for a visit, called Trump's tweet "crazy." And Michael Charles, a longtime resident of the city, said he'd be happy to get paid, dismissing the tweet as "more of the same" from Trump.