Last week, while President Trump was receiving treatment for the virus at Walter Reed Medical Center, he reportedly spoke to several parties over the phone about a strange "Superman" moment when he finally left the hospital.
The plan the President pitched to several people, according to The New York Times, was fairly straightforward, but also deeply bizarre for a U.S. President.
In his scheme, the President would leave the hospital looking frail and unhealthy, almost like Willy Wonka in the 1971 Gene Wilder film.
This part, the President actually went through with.
Trump appears to be wincing in pain while he breathes https://t.co/YKhGhu0VN0— Brennan Murphy (@Brennan Murphy)1601941339.0
After greeting the crowd as a sickly old man, however, Trump planned to rip open his white dress shirt to reveal a Superman t-shirt beneath.
I know Superman. Superman was a hero of mine. President Trump, you’re no Superman. From @nytimes: https://t.co/MtasJB71Gc— Preet Bharara (@Preet Bharara)1602368046.0
The Real Donald Trump playing Superman https://t.co/ZeN4EHniaA— Outspoken (@Outspoken)1602376199.0
I am just devastated that they wouldn't let him go through with this https://t.co/yWhBdPMKAZ— Yes, You're Racist (@Yes, You're Racist)1602372907.0
Trump's critics on Twitter were flabbergasted the President would even suggest such a strange stunt while the nation is still in the grips of the pandemic he himself was afflicted by.
Trump wanted to pretend to be weak and then bust out a Superman T-shirt. Because despite 210,000 dead Americans thi… https://t.co/89ZJFIMGxf— The Tennessee Holler (@The Tennessee Holler)1602368801.0
@renato_mariotti @nytimes Yep. When I think of Donald Trump, I think of Superman. Strongly. https://t.co/YG8y4FJfYg— Impeachments* Are Forever (@Impeachments* Are Forever)1602367755.0
“Dang, Superman! You really let yourself go!” https://t.co/MX22v1kVu3— Tea Pain (@Tea Pain)1602371180.0
Others felt Trump was being unfair to Superman, who is both a journalist and an undocumented immigrant.
Superman stands for everything Donald Trump is not. Superman is also: - An undocumented immigrant - A journalist— Kevin Powers (@Kevin Powers)1602370982.0
Superman Trump https://t.co/UOTlbZCqPs— 🔥Double Dee👠👠 (@🔥Double Dee👠👠)1602379696.0
Also, it's a lot easier to defeat Trump than it would have been to bring down Superman.
Trump is sure AF is NOT Superman and we don't need any kryptonite. We just need to ALL effing vote. #VoteBidenHarris— Dr. Jack Brown (@Dr. Jack Brown)1602370115.0
@thehill I would crawl over broken glass to vote him out of office, but that said, this would’ve been pretty funny.— Scott Challeen (@Scott Challeen)1602451820.0
@thehill I studied psychology in school but I don’t think I ever really understood the term “delusions of grandeur” until this one. ☝️— KRISTIN.LEAH🍀 (@KRISTIN.LEAH🍀)1602451879.0
There were some online who kind of wished Trump had pulled off his crazy stunt, if only to add it to their list of insane 2020 events.
@thehill God, I wish he did that. It’s hard to always top the previous day’s crazy factor.— Dr. Jack (@Dr. Jack)1602451894.0
You have to read this to believe it. Trump was planning to appear frail and then rip over his dress shirt to revea… https://t.co/7lNcANqZmc— Renato Mariotti (@Renato Mariotti)1602367644.0
It's not entirely clear why President Trump didn't go through with his plan, though many suspect his advisors successfully talked him out of it.
But who knows? One day, Superman may return.