President Donald Trump found himself in an unexpected moment of slapstick comedy on Friday when a boom microphone inadvertently smacked him in the face.
The moment came while the 78-year-old POTUS was taking questions from reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
The microphone — topped with a fuzzy windscreen commonly called a “dead cat” in the industry — brushed against the 45th and 47th president’s mouth and slid across his face as he instinctively leaned back, eyes closing to avoid further contact.
President Trump’s facial expression appeared to be one of surprise and bewilderment –shooting a glare at the reporter responsible before raising both eyebrows.
As the microphone was quickly pulled away, he couldn’t resist commenting on the moment — sharing 12 words that highlighted the severity of “booping” the President of the United States in the face with a mic.
“She just made television tonight. She just became a big story tonight,” Trump joked, seemingly referring to the reporter behind the mic mishap.
Still chuckling, he turned to someone off-camera and asked: “Did you see that?”
It remains unclear which media outlet the boom mic operator works for, though such devices are commonly used to capture clear audio near the loud engines of Air Force One and Marine One.
Unfazed, Trump continued fielding questions before boarding Air Force One.
Social Media Users React
After the footage quickly went viral on X, people had a lot to say about the moment.
“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.”
Others, however, believed the knock was deliberate, and even called for the reporter’s arrest.
“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
Just minutes before the mic incident, Trump had another brief moment of awkwardness—this time on the steps of Marine One. While helping X, the four-year-old son of Tesla and DOGE chief Elon Musk, board the helicopter, Trump’s right foot got caught on the first step.
He quickly recovered and continued up the stairs without issue.
Despite the minor mishaps, the president carried on with his schedule, proving once again that he knows how to take a hit—whether from political opponents or an overeager microphone.
