On Friday, President Donald Trump experienced an unexpected moment of slapstick humor when a boom microphone accidentally bumped him in the face.
The incident happened as the 78-year-old president was answering questions from reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. While he spoke, the microphone — equipped with a fuzzy windscreen often referred to in the industry as a “dead cat” — brushed against his mouth and slid across his face.
Trump instinctively leaned back and closed his eyes to avoid further contact.
Check out how it played out below:
Trump’s expression reflected surprise and confusion as he shot a glance at the reporter handling the mic, then raised his eyebrows in reaction.
Once the microphone was swiftly moved away, he couldn’t resist commenting about the moment. — sharing 12 words that highlighted the severity of “booping” the President of the United States in the face with a mic.
With a smirk, he said, “She just made television tonight. She just became a big story tonight,” seemingly referring to the reporter behind the mishap.
Still amused, Trump turned to someone off-camera and asked, “Did you see that?”
It’s unclear which news outlet employed the boom mic operator, though these types of microphones are typically used to ensure clear audio in noisy areas like near Air Force One and Marine One engines.
Unfazed by the encounter, Trump continued taking questions before eventually boarding Air Force One.
Social Media Users React
The footage quickly made its rounds on X (formerly Twitter), sparking plenty of commentary.
“That look after the incident,” one person tweeted, referring to Trump’s side-eye.
“Omg I bet the person holding the microphone was super embarrassed,” another wrote, with a third adding: “Her life will change forever after this unfortunate decision. She will find out that actions have consequences.”
Some users speculated that the incident was intentional, calling for serious consequences.
“She needs to be arrested! It was on purpose,” one X user wrote, with another agreeing: “Arrest her NOW”.
“That looked deliberate,” tweeted another, with one person adding: “That definitely was on purpose.”
Another concerned person tweeted: “Secret Service better tighten up. Why wouldn’t this be a possible dry run for something more serious… chemical to germ related?”
Minor Stumble Before Takeoff
A short time before the microphone incident, Trump had another small stumble—this time on the steps of Marine One. While assisting X, the four-year-old son of Tesla and DOGE CEO Elon Musk, onto the helicopter, Trump’s right foot briefly snagged on the first step.
He quickly regained his balance and made his way up the stairs without further trouble.
Despite the pair of awkward moments, the president stuck to his schedule, once again showing he can handle anything—whether it’s political battles or an unexpected bop from a microphone.
