Donald Trump subjected a crew of flagpole installers to a bizarre press conference Wednesday, trapping the workers in an impromptu political rant that covered everything from bombing Iran to Harvey Weinstein's legal troubles.
And one of those who stood awkwardly behind the president has described his bewilderment.
The spectacle unfolded when Trump, trailed by reporters, marched toward construction workers erecting massive flagpoles on White House grounds. Apparently without warning, the workers found themselves unwilling participants in a wide-ranging presidential tirade.
"Any illegal immigrants?" Trump asked the crew upon approaching—presumably as a joke.
Christopher Tattersall, a 40-year-old tree surgeon from Maryland, later described his bewilderment at being thrust into the global spotlight. "I didn't really know what to think," he told The New York Times. "I was just there, in the moment, you know, and I got the president next to me giving a worldwide press conference."
As Trump launched into attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Tattersall admitted he was completely lost. "I had no clue who he was talking about," he said. "I was basically just there as a fly on the wall, waiting for him to wrap it up and then we could get back to work."
The president's rambling expanded to include his "war on Harvard," Vladimir Putin, and conflicts between Pakistan and India. When Trump attempted crude humor about the flagpole "lifting," making suggestive references to words starting with "E," Tattersall remained unimpressed despite Trump's obvious expectation of laughter.
The awkward political theater adds to a later meeting in the Oval Office, where he subjected visiting soccer players to another impromptu political session. Timothy Weah, son of soccer legend George Weah and a U.S. Men's National Team star, found himself trapped alongside Juventus teammates as Trump discussed missile strikes and travel bans.
"They told us that we have to go and I had no choice," Weah said afterward. "I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird. When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of like, I just want to play football, man."