Over the past week the nation has seen protests in more than 75 cities against the horrific police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed, handcuffed Black man who was not resisting arrest. Over the weekend the nation, desperate for presidential leadership, saw none, as reports at both The New York Times and the Washington Post detailed .
Sunday night, what the nation saw was a White House, always illuminated at night, with the lights turned off as news reports broke that President Donald Trump had been scurried into the "underground bunker used in the past during terrorist attacks” on Friday.
Trump's decision to not address the nation as protests gripped the American public and countless videos of police brutally attacking peaceful protestors flooded social media, stunned many. In fact, aside from vitriolic tweets, the President was largely silent.
On social media many quickly started calling the President of the United States "bunker boy," while mocking him for, as some put it, "hiding in the basement" and turning off the lights.
Trump turned off the White House lights & hid in a bunker. I like presidents who don't hide in bunkers. #BunkerBoy https://t.co/6Ly8TFvAyd— Jake Morphonios ⚫🔴⚪ www.blackstoneintel.com (@Jake Morphonios ⚫🔴⚪ www.blackstoneintel.com) 1590986028.0
Ivan-ka, where'd your pa? Hiding in the basement, ha ha ha! #BunkerBoy— Greg Olear (@Greg Olear) 1591007810.0
This is eerily symbolic of the Trump Administration. In the midst of multiple crises He turns of the lights in the… https://t.co/gF5BnS0K3N— Karine Jean-Pierre (@Karine Jean-Pierre) 1591004384.0
It’s oddly fitting that after 3 years of hiding its head in the sand in terms of engaging in any serious problems t… https://t.co/g0TGUqD8a2— Eric Wolfson (@Eric Wolfson) 1591013127.0
Either #BunkerBoy is getting cell service now, or he’s slithered out of the basement. Either way, he’s tweeting con… https://t.co/VM07nZAvra— ken olin🇺🇸 (@ken olin🇺🇸) 1591015032.0
This is what Trump's idea of leadership looks like: Shut off the lights of the WHITE House and hide in the Bunker.… https://t.co/EL5ZFIX3hx— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@(((DeanObeidallah)))) 1591013165.0
"Trump and his family were reportedly unnerved by the protests, however the president was the only one to be taken… https://t.co/9gpHrqv3o3— Untucked with Jeremy Newberger (@Untucked with Jeremy Newberger) 1591013201.0
Will the last person to leave, turn out the lights? #BunkerBoy https://t.co/HSz2PM8NRc— NOT ALT WORLD (@NOT ALT WORLD) 1591004661.0
No picture better sums up the Failure of MAGA, Ultra-Macho, Tough-Ruler Trump Presidency. The President Turned Off… https://t.co/Qw7WA1jHET— Rula Jebreal (@Rula Jebreal) 1591012190.0
