Donald Trump’s 10 Most Viral Moments as President of the United States

Donald Trump’s presidency has been highlighted by a parade of moments that feel like they happened decades ago. Remember when Trump was the bully of the G7 summit? How about when he pretended he was a truck driver during a White House event? His recent exploits hold more attention. Having your name connected to a riot and countless scandals can fill up the memory very fast.

But with his time in power coming to an end and fear gripping parts of the nation after the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill, taking a step back to enjoy some of Trump’s older viral moments. “Joy” could be a stretch for some, but it was during moments where the abuse from the president was lower and people just needed to shake their heads. Hard to believe, but there were better days in the past four years. Scroll down to see some of the memorable bits of Trump’s legacy.

Smug With Europe

During the 44th G7 Summit in Quebec, Canada, this photo captured the disconnect between the president and his “allies.” Shortly after, Trump refused to participate in a joint statement and sniped at his fellow world leaders on Twitter.

Breaker, Breaker Trump

Donald Trump is clearly a fan of trucks and truckers, as long as they’re voting for him. Early on, this moment caught a lot of attention thanks to the president acting like a kid with a shiny new toy. Has he ever driven a car before, though? 

Mower Boy Meets Trump

10-year-old Frank Giaccio of Falls Church, Virginia, wrote a letter to President Trump in Aug. 2017. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read the letter to the president, requesting the honor of mowing the lawn at The White House. In September of that year, Giaccio got his chance and this photo became a meme that keeps giving.

The Feast of a Thousand Trumps

When Donald Trump held a meal for the NCAA National Champion Clemson Tigers in 2019, he went to an old favorite. Instead of a state dinner of high-class foods, Trump opted for fast food from McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and other spots. The act was meant to be a compromise during the government shutdown, but it ended up being a memorable photo that sparked outrage and mockery.

The Magic Sharpie of Trump

Trump and his sharpie caused a stir during Hurricane Dorian’s landfall in the U.S., with Trump saying Alabama was about to get walloped. This was a mistake and experts attempted to correct him. but the president wouldn’t have it. So he reportedly took out a sharpie pen and made sure Alabama was included in the storm path.

Trump Loves Kim 2: DMZ

President Trump became the first U.S. leader to sit down with North Korea’s leadership, meeting with Kim Jong-un twice. The second surprise visit was the viral moment. The president stepped across the DMZ between North and South Korea, entering the Communist nation for the first time. It sadly ended without any meaningful changes.

Trump Meets Kanye

Trump also invited another person people feel is unstable to The White House in Kanye West. It’s one of the moments where Kanye’s odd trajectory of the past few years meets with Trump’s, giving us a crossover tale to wrap our brains around.

Nancy Pelosi Applause

This is actually more of a Nancy Pelosi photo, but it would have been possible without Trump. The applause, which is really standing applause and not the sarcastic moment many made it out to be, made the rounds on social media and cemented Pelosi as Trump’s nemesis in D.C. politics.

Trump Plays Pandemic Ball

More recent comes a photo of Trump playing catch with kids on the White House grounds. While it could be singled out for his inability to catch the baseball, the timing is what truly makes it a viral moment. It comes amid the coronavirus pandemic and when the MLB was going to kick off despite the virus still raging through the country. With nearly 400,000 dead now, this photo carries a different meaning looking back at 2020.

That Photo Op

And finally, what needs to be said about this final image? It comes from earlier in 2020 with the Black Lives Matter protests across the nation, including D.C., where peaceful demonstrators were gassed and shot with rubber bullets to make this photo-op happen.