In a political landscape marked by controversy, a resurfaced video of Donald Trump has reignited public outrage, showcasing what many are calling one of the former president’s most unsettling moments. The footage, captured during a 2016 campaign rally in Wisconsin, shows Trump lifting a young girl in front of the crowd. What starts as a standard political gesture quickly becomes uncomfortable as Trump kisses the girl on the cheek. The situation escalates when Trump attempts to kiss the girl on the lips, prompting her to squirm out of his grasp. report from NPR.
The video, which is now going viral on social media, has stirred intense reactions. X (formerly Twitter) user @KellyScaletta, who reshared the video, labeled the incident “utterly weird and disturbing,” adding, “No means no! Is the girl OK?” The clip has since sparked widespread conversations about boundaries and appropriateness, especially when it comes to public figures interacting with children.
The act of kissing babies and children has long been used by politicians to convey warmth and relatability. However, Trump’s behavior in this clip has left many viewers feeling the opposite. Rather than appearing as a benevolent father figure, Trump’s awkward and invasive action only amplified the discomfort. The girl’s visible unease, coupled with Trump’s persistence, has led many to describe the incident as more than just a misstep.
What makes this moment even more disturbing is the realization that it has flown under the radar for so long. Despite the clip being from 2016, it has only now gained significant traction online. Many social media users are baffled by the lack of attention the incident received at the time. One X user expressed shock: “Shocked that it didn’t make noise back then, because it should’ve. This is creepy. He wanted to give her a kiss on the goddamn mouth. This should’ve gone viral a long time ago.”
This resurfaced footage plays into a larger narrative about Trump’s public behavior, especially when it comes to personal boundaries. While kissing babies has traditionally been a part of political PR to humanize candidates, Trump’s handling of the moment stands out as inappropriate. It seems that his campaign team may have taken note, as it’s rare to see him interacting with children at rallies or public events in more recent years. Many speculate that his advisors recognize such interactions only highlight his inability to engage warmly and appropriately with people, especially kids.
The reaction to the video also taps into the broader public perception of Trump. For critics, this incident adds to the long list of behaviors that they find troubling. His off-putting interactions, particularly with women and now children, have often raised questions about his understanding of personal space and respect. Despite the outrage, many social media users feel that the viral moment won’t sway Trump’s most ardent supporters, as one user noted, “Hopefully it goes viral this time, even though it won’t change anything for his cult.” told BBC.
Ultimately, this resurfaced moment serves as yet another example of how Donald Trump continues to court controversy, even long after an event has passed. The video’s sudden resurgence has sparked important conversations about boundaries and accountability for public figures. Whether it will have any lasting impact on Trump’s political fortunes remains to be seen.
You would think after all these years of witnessing Trump being despicable, he’d have run out of ways to repel us. And yet here he goes and does something else to offend all decent-minded people out there. The reactions to Scaletta’s post were full of disgust at this latest unearthed display of gross behavior from the former POTUS’s past.
He doesn’t know what NO means. That girl should never have been in his arms— Outspoken™️ (@Out5p0ken) September 23, 2024
I hate this so much what’s happening— １２Ｈ Ｎａｔｉｖｅ (@7HMoon) September 24, 2024
A lot of people are demanding to know the context here. Should that poor girl’s parents have refrained from handing her to Trump in the first place?
In a follow-up tweet, Scaletta had a particularly grim question to pose. “If he’s going to treat a little girl like this in public, how does he treat grown women in private?” he asked.
