President Donald Trump‘s political career has been marked by meme-able moments both triumphant and awkward, but few incidents have captured the internet’s attention quite like his departures.
A hilarious clip of something hanging from Trump’s shoe often resurfaces on social media, turning him into a viral sensation.
During his routine presidential exit from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport in Oct. 2018, Trump exited the presidential limousine and made his way toward Air Force One, a piece of white tissue paper clung stubbornly to his left shoe, creating a meme that would soon spread across social media platforms worldwide.
The commander in chief had just wrapped up a rally appearance as he prepared to travel between Minneapolis and Rochester, Minnesota, when television cameras captured the unexpectedly humanizing moment.
The short clip often resurfaces on Facebook and YouTube, prompting a mix of amusement and genuine empathy from observers.
“What’s the big deal. The poor man can’t do anything right in some people’s eyes,” one person commented, defending the president against what they saw as unfair scrutiny.
A few were quick to offer their theories about how the situation unfolded.
“That means the fool got in the car and didn’t notice. Everyone around him probably noticed and were too scared to say something and get yelled at,” another observer noted, highlighting the peculiar dynamics that can exist around powerful figures.
The comment touched on a universal workplace truth about the difficulty of pointing out embarrassing situations to authority figures.
“My theory is that there is a toilet in the limo. He had just finished when the limo was entering the airport. He had meant to throw the toilet paper in the toilet, but missed and it got stuck on his shoe,” one person theorized with impressive specificity.
The footage originally was captured by KSTP-TV, the St. Paul-Minneapolis ABC News affiliate, which had been broadcasting Trump’s departure live on Facebook when the incident occurred. The tissue remained attached as Trump climbed the staircase, waved to supporters at the top, and prepared to enter the plane.
As if this entire presidency couldn’t be more bizarre…
Today, Trump boarded Air Force One with toilet paper stuck to his shoe. pic.twitter.com/Wg8D6AeP1Q
— Philin’ Myself (@MaltLiquorLogic) October 5, 2018
Video shows the exact moment when the toilet paper finally dislodged from Trump’s shoe, fluttering to the stairs just as he crossed the threshold into Air Force One. Within seconds, a staff member or Secret Service agent could be seen retrieving the wayward tissue, bringing the brief episode to its conclusion.
The toilet paper incident continues to take on new relevance thanks to social media. Over the last few weeks, internet users have mocked and made jokes about Trump’s physical appearance and his swollen ankles.
The parallel between these two foot-related viral moments will keep people talking — and watching for the next thing to latch on. Seven years later, the replay proves it’s often the stray tagalongs that leave a mark no press conference can erase.
