At a Cincinnati, Ohio, rally last night, President Donald Trump regaled the audience with tales of big bad Democrats and his new BFF, Mexico. And the size of his crowd.
He also made a hand motion that called to mind a middle school cafeteria.
When a protester interrupted the speech to speak out against Trump’s widely-loathed immigration policies, he pointed at them, then made a motion below his waist that to some looked like the infamous “jack off” gesture. Others argued that he was doing some kind of GTFO thumb move.
The clip from MSNBC’s coverage of the rally quickly went viral.
People on Twitter were disgusted. Some, particularly journalists, engaged in descriptive gymnastics to describe what they saw without actually saying what they saw.
“Trump made what looks to be an obscene gesture toward a protester as he was getting kicked out his rally tonight,” Vox’s Aaron Rupar mused.
“This vulgar man,” MSNBC’s Joy Reid opined.
Others were blunter.
“Can’t tell if he is telling someone to stab someone, jack him off, or show him the door. Pick one,” one woman wrote.
The president of the United States of America is telling someone to jerk off & I just can’t.
— Tanya ✨🏳️🌈 (@TEE1031) August 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/MsTrishLynn/status/1157263365732884482?s=20
https://twitter.com/TheRealKenzor/status/1157273478606798850?s=20
He’s trying to make a “throw em out a here” like motion with his hand. As you can see that is not what it looked liked he was motioning for. pic.twitter.com/ZkehCx5uGD
— Bill Maxwell (@Bill_Maxwell_) August 2, 2019
For a few, the thought that the president would even potentially do such a thing reminded them of better times, when the office was treated with respect by its occupants.
“The man is beneath the basement that lies forty floors beneath the dignity of the Presidency,” said @FDRforever.
“I mean. I gotta give it to him. You legit think there’s nothing else left he can do to make you think he could go lower and he vaults that bar every time. It’s almost impressive,” another person said, prompting a commenter to wonder, “When does he moon someone?”
Watch the video from 32:55 and decide which it was: Get out or get off?
Trump is always a Rorschach test. See what you want.
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