During a White House press briefing on Monday, April 27, President Donald Trump was caught saying something pretty strange into a hot mic just as Fox News cut to him.
This was the President's first press briefing since last Thursday, when he sparked national ridicule by claiming injecting disinfectants might help cure the viral pathogen behind the global pandemic. Though the White House previously said there would be no press conference on Monday, the President, at some point, reversed course.
Just before the briefing began, however, Trump spoke into a hot mic as cameras cut to him. Though many speculate he was saying either "hello everybody" or "I love everybody," his words were so garbled it was difficult for most to tell.
π³π³π³ https://t.co/FQowQCtIctβ Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1588019148.0
Many used Trump's notably slurred speech to make a joke about his "cure" for the virus.
when the bleach drip hits https://t.co/FQowQCtIctβ Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1588019757.0
Me after my third shot of toilet duck https://t.co/u1IeNhTWcHβ James Felton (@James Felton) 1588021325.0
Me after 2 double ipas https://t.co/2BzF0Ltmwkβ h. jon benjamin (@h. jon benjamin) 1588019755.0
When that shot of Dettol kicks in... https://t.co/VjEbvVRVWNβ Adam McKola (@Adam McKola) 1588022241.0
Countless Americans, viewing the clip, were concerned about the President's strange lack of articulation.
I understood what he said, but sounds very slurred. You don't think he took his own advice on Lysol disinfected? https://t.co/MQWQkiu8F3β David Weissman (@David Weissman) 1588021620.0
THIS GUY IS 1000% FUBAR FAM I KNO IT WHEN I SEE IT https://t.co/cHWeBqMocAβ THE KID MERO π©π΄ (@THE KID MERO π©π΄) 1588029300.0
I love how the camera pulls back suddenly like it's flinching. https://t.co/5A0C4OrH3hβ Kevin M. Kruse (@Kevin M. Kruse) 1588036494.0
This incident wasn't the only time that day Trump had some difficulty enunciating.
Trump begins his April 27 #TrumpPressConference with some reading difficulties https://t.co/V1AnjAh9NKβ Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1588023882.0
Trump on his call today with governors: "They are as thrilled as they can be, considering the fact that there has bβ¦ https://t.co/PLxu0FQUELβ Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1588024689.0
Twitter users were placing bets as to what the President actually said to the gathered press.
@atrupar What'd he say?β Jemaine Clement (@Jemaine Clement) 1588027988.0
@atrupar Lysol is helluva drugβ B51 (@B51) 1588019371.0
Others were skeptical about the President's wellbeing.
@atrupar If an employee walked into my office like this, theyβd be sent for a drug test ASAP.β WaterBluSky (@WaterBluSky) 1588023746.0
@atrupar Those pupils https://t.co/3uTKez9pwdβ π²Andy π£from π£Oregonπ² (@π²Andy π£from π£Oregonπ²) 1588019422.0
President Trump certainly knows all the best words.
So basically on Friday, after his loony presser on Thursday, they convince him not to do loony pressers anymore. Ovβ¦ https://t.co/2647hNdgvAβ George Conway (@George Conway) 1588026221.0
@JimMFelton "uhluereyvory" https://t.co/Cjd6bFUXIPβ βππ Animation Fanatical βππ (@βππ Animation Fanatical βππ) 1588021502.0
Though, at the end of the day, Trump slurring his words while greeting the press makes very little difference compared to some of his more notable mistakes. It's certainly a fascinating puzzle piece in the strange, unintelligible jumble that is the 45th President.
The book The Wit and Wisdom of Donald J. Trump: (The J. Stands for Genius)is available here.