President Trump is a… special kind of comedy genius. This was once again apparent when Trump hosted steelworkers at the White House while signing off on the controversial steel and aluminum tariffs that prompted his top economic adviser Gary Cohn to abruptly resign.
Steelworkers 2227 local union leader Scott Saurich gave a brief speech on how his father, a former steelworker, lost his job in the ’80s. “My father lost his job due to imports coming into this country,”Staurich said, “and I just want to tell you, what that does to a man with six kids is devastating.”
This prompted the president to offer condolences for what he assumed was the steelworker’s father’s passing.
“Your father’s Herman?” Trump asked while shaking Staurich’s hand. “Your father, Herman, he’s looking down and he’s very proud of you right now.”
Staurich informed Trump that his father is still above ground and the room burst into laughter. Herman was very likely watching his son with pride, but he was probably doing so in front of a TV and not from a cloud up in heaven.
“Your father Herman is looking down, he’s very proud of you right now,” Trump tells steelworker.
“He’s still alive.” pic.twitter.com/pLyEMmc3c1
— Aidan McLaughlin (@aidnmclaughlin) March 8, 2018
“Then he’s even more proud of you,” Trump quipped in response.
The president is never funnier than when he is trying to demonstrate a genuine interest in other people.
