People are accusing Trump of copying Obama's Twitter tribute to Kobe Bryant, after the president's first message was slammed

• Social media users have accused President Donald Trump of copying Barack Obama's tribute to Kobe Bryant.
• Trump's tweet matches the structure of Obama's, sent two hours before.
• Both tweets, for example, used the phrase "just getting started in life."
• Trump's first tweet in tribute to the LA Lakers legend was met with anger, with many pointing out Bryant openly criticized the president.
• Bryant, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

People have noted glaring similarities between Donald Trump's tribute to Kobe Bryant on Sunday, and the one Barack Obama posted on Twitter two hours earlier.

"Kobe Bryant, despite being one of the truly great basketball players of all time, was just getting started in life. He loved his family so much, and had such strong passion for the future. The loss of his beautiful daughter, Gianna, makes this moment even more devastating," Trump wrote at 11:54 p.m. on Sunday.

"Melania and I send our warmest condolences to Vanessa and the wonderful Bryant family. May God be with you all!" he added in a second tweet.

Twitter users were unhappy with the response, saying it clearly mirrored the structure of Obama's tribute, posted at 9:56 p.m, almost two hours before Trump's tribute.

This was Obama's tweet:

"Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day," it said.

"Trump's tweet about Kobe is remarkably similar to Obama's," Vox journalist Aaron Rupar tweeted.

"Trump's Instagram post on Kobe Bryant is worded in an extremely similar way to Obama's earlier tweet," Business Insider's John Haltiwanger tweeted.

Trump shared the same tribute to Bryant on both Instagram and Twitter.

Trump's initial tribute, posted at 8:48 p.m., three hours before his second, was slammed as opportunistic.

"Reports are that basketball great Kobe Bryant and three others have been killed in a helicopter crash in California. That is terrible news!" he tweeted.

Trump was accused of jumping on the bandwagon to score points in line with public sentiment.

"Kobe hated you," the top reply to Trump's tweet said as of 5 a.m. ET on Monday.

"You don't respect Black athletes. Keep Kobe's name out of your ... mouth," another wrote.

A number of Twitter users posted links to one of Bryant's tweets from 2017 in which he criticized Trump.

"A #POTUS whose name alone creates division and anger. Whose words inspire dissension and hatred can't possibly 'Make America Great Again'," Bryant said.

Read more:

• Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashed in foggy conditions considered so dangerous that the LAPD grounded all its flights
• Gianna 'Gigi' Bryant, Kobe Bryant's daughter, also died in the tragic helicopter accident that killed her father
• NBA has no plans to cancel games after basketball icon Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash
• Kobe Bryant's last tweet before he died was to congratulate LeBron James on surpassing him for the NBA all-time scoring list
• Moments of silence were held at a Rockets-Nuggets game and at a Biden campaign event to honor NBA legend Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant, despite being one of the truly great basketball players of all time, was just getting started in life. He loved his family so much, and had such strong passion for the future. The loss of his beautiful daughter, Gianna, makes this moment even more devastating....

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2020

Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day.

- Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 26, 2020

Reports are that basketball great Kobe Bryant and three others have been killed in a helicopter crash in California. That is terrible news!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2020

A #POTUS whose name alone creates division and anger. Whose words inspire dissension and hatred can't possibly "Make America Great Again"

- Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) September 23, 2017