President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States and Mexico have agreed to a new trade deal that would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
To mark the agreement, Trump brought reporters into the Oval Office to listen to a phone call with Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto, but there were some technical difficulties.
As cameras rolled, the president pushed a few buttons on the phone—expecting Nieto to be on speakerphone—and after a few moments of confusion, an aide helped Trump connect with the fellow leader.
WATCH: Trump tries to conference in Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto from the Oval Office https://t.co/ou33zVaoGj pic.twitter.com/9o98otee8W
— Bloomberg (@business) August 27, 2018
The awkwardness of watching the president fiddle with a phone for a few moments wasn’t lost by people online.
Many people immediately thought the call was a perfect way to rope in comparisons to The Office and Veep.
BREAKING: President Trump’s phone call with the head of Dunder Mifflin. pic.twitter.com/s8yvY5T1ef
— Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) August 27, 2018
With Veep musicpic.twitter.com/SOWPGj20UG
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 27, 2018
The waiting is the hardest part. pic.twitter.com/4eFU4RnGCJ
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) August 27, 2018
Trump making the press sit through a conference call might be his best media troll yet.
— Eliot Nelson (@eliotnelson) August 27, 2018
Trump: “What a beatiful phone call to our Wall Builders- Mexico! We’re renaming NAFTA to, the North American Free Trade Agreement” We’re making Bigly changes!” pic.twitter.com/q2pGjlgAku
— Lady Washingchin🍷 (@Nanchinian) August 27, 2018
Watch Trumps fidget his way through this phone call… you know he desperately wants to interject
— MJR jnr (@onetruebritt) August 27, 2018
pic.twitter.com/ApPXUNFoPC
Trump trying to get Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on the phone was crying out for the Veep treatment. pic.twitter.com/7NmSMiKFh5
— Matt Deegan (@matt) August 27, 2018
UM YOU GUYS it works with the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme song too, this is amazing https://t.co/0P0Kkobcam
— Arlen Parsa (@arlenparsa) August 27, 2018
The president ended the call by telling Nieto that a “hug would be very nice” after the Mexican president told him he sends an ‘affectionate hug” his way.
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