Former President Donald Trump sparked outrage and mockery after he was seen saluting during a bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace" at the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 event in North Carolina on Sunday.
Trump has previously saluted during other musical tributes, such as the national anthem. However, some people speculated that Trump's salute at the Sunday race raised questions about his cognitive abilities.
The 30-second video, aired live on Real America's Voice, shows Trump saluting throughout the rendition of "Amazing Grace" while standing alongside racing team owner Richard Childress.
The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) comments on civilian salutes, noting that while it can be seen as a mark of respect, it is not common practice among civilians and can sometimes breach military protocol. The UCMJ suggests alternatives such as a nod or placing a hand over the heart to convey respect.
So what exactly Trump was doing people did not know—and they proceeded to mock him profusely.
Trump's appearance at the NASCAR event followed the conclusion of the North Carolina Republican Party Convention in Greensboro.
There were roughly 1,000 people in attendance at the event, which featured Trump's son Eric Trump and daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who currently co-chairs the Republican National Committee (RNC).
Lara Trump said the RNC has "been raising massive amounts of money for Donald Trump and the Republican Party," adding that she thinks "if I don’t win this state again for Donald Trump... I’m out of the family."
She also criticized Democrats, whom Trump has continued to falsely claim schemed to steal the 2020 election from him. To that end, Lara Trump said Republicans "have to fight fire with dynamite… We’re going to beat them at their own game."
In response, the Democratic National Committee released a statement saying Trump's surrogates are on "an anti-freedom, anti-democracy, conspiracy-theory trip to North Carolina to spread his toxic agenda."
The DNC added that the RNC's current leadership will "ensure that Trump’s desperate campaign and extreme agenda will deliver them embarrassing losses across the country in November."
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