On Monday, Donald Trump took time out during his first live address to the nation about the war he set in motion on Iran early Saturday to boast about the gold White House drapes he claims he personally selected.
Combining the presidential address with a presentation of awarding the Medal of Honor to three Army soldiers before a packed room, the president went off script, as is his custom, and pointed out that the drapes behind him concealed the area where his ballroom will be constructed.
“See that nice drapes?” he said as he turned to look behind him. “When that comes down –– right now you see a very very deep hole –– but in about a year and a half you're going see a very very beautiful building. And there's your entrance to it right there. In fact, it looks so nice I think I'll leave it and save money on the doors because it can't get more beautiful than that. I picked those drapes in my first term. I always liked gold. I believe we can save a lot of money."
With the president’s address carried live, commenters on social media immediately began wondering what had just happened.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman joked, “Trump just held a press conference about war with Iran, and spent much of it talking about drapes and his ballroom. I guess those are the drapes of wrath???”
“In remarks on the Iran War, Trump spent more time talking about drapes and his ballroom than he did honoring the US soldiers killed in the action,” observed Mother Jones editor David Corn.
After MS NOW producer Kyle Griffin called attention to the president’s rambling, Peters J Vecrumba chimed in with, “I was making coffee in the kitchen, Trump was on live on the news. Did I hear right? We're BOMBING Iran and he's talking about beautiful doors, drapes, and liking gold? Please tell me that's not what I heard.”
Attorney Ken White, who goes by ever-changing versions “Popehat,” wrote, “Joe Biden was too sleepy to care about the drapes.”
“Trump gets bored talking about starting a Mideast war and detours into an extended discussion of drapes and his ballroom. He's mentally unfit and must be stopped,” suggested former Chicago Tribune editor Mark Jacob.
The New Republic’s Osita Nwanevu noticed the disconnect: “A minute ago, Trump said the war with Iran would take as long as necessary. 'I don't get bored.' He is now discussing the drapes he selected for the East Room.”
Joe Adalian of New York Magazine’s Vulture commented, “Americans are dying in a war of choice and he’s droning on about drapes, and the media will just ignore this and paint Trump as a tough commander in chief laser-focused on the job. He’s a blithering idiot, but he takes his calls, so it’s all good.”
“He really doesn't get it,” AnyOneButTrump pointed out.