12 Donald Trump Gaffes Destined For The History Books (And YouTube Bloopers)

For most people, closing an umbrella is a forgettable part of a rainy day. For Donald Trump, it became one of those unexpectedly memorable moments the internet refuses to let go of.

While boarding Air Force One during a stormy evening in Washington, Trump appeared to wrestle with a stubborn umbrella as strong winds and rain swept through the area.

After a few unsuccessful attempts to fold it, he eventually handed it off to an aide and continued on his way.

The clip quickly found new life online years later, resurfacing alongside similar umbrella mishaps involving other presidents. That only made the moment look even funnier, as viewers began joking that umbrellas seem to be a surprisingly difficult challenge in high office.

One person joked, “Now I’m wondering if he even knows how to use an umbrella,” while another quipped, “He doesn’t know how an umbrella works. Better to just leave it for the smart guys.”

Donald Trump has had a long and very public friendship with Elon Musk, making one slip-up all the more noticeable.

During a live Fox News appearance in June 2026, Trump was discussing Musk and his Starlink venture when he accidentally referred to him as “Leon” before immediately correcting himself to “Elon.”

The moment lasted only a second, but viewers quickly noticed it, and the clip soon started making the rounds online.

Trump carried on speaking without mentioning the mistake, but social media users had plenty to say.

Some found the mix-up amusing, with one person joking, “He has lost the plot.” Another poked fun at the moment, writing, “He talks like a baby.”

Given how often the two men have been linked in headlines over the years, the brief name swap became one of those small but memorable TV moments that the internet was never going to let slide.

One of Trump’s most memorable viral moments came during the 2017 solar eclipse, when he appeared to glance directly at the sun from the White House balcony before putting on protective eclipse glasses.

According to pool reports from the event, an aide could even be heard shouting, “Don’t look,” as Trump pointed toward the sky.

The moment quickly exploded online because there is essentially one rule everyone hears before a solar eclipse: never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection.

Unlike other injuries, damage from sunlight can occur without immediate pain because the retina lacks pain receptors. That means a person may not realize harm has been done until vision problems appear later.

Doctors warned that looking at the sun can cause a condition called solar retinopathy, where intense sunlight damages the retina at the back of the eye.

Even a few seconds of direct exposure can lead to blurry vision, blind spots, or, in severe cases, permanent loss of central vision.

Fortunately, Trump’s glance appeared to be brief.

Still, the unusual moment became internet history almost instantly.

One commenter joked, “He moves like a toddler,” while another quipped, “We actually got to witness live a President realizing that the Sun is round in real-time.”

Campaign stops are usually packed with speeches, handshakes, and plenty of local pride. That's probably why one small mix-up during a rally in Iowa quickly caught people's attention.

While greeting supporters in Sioux City in 2023, Trump accidentally welcomed the crowd to "Sioux Falls" instead.

The slip-up lasted only a few seconds, but it became even funnier when Iowa State Senator Brad Zaun quietly leaned over and corrected him on stage.

"It's Sioux City, not Sioux Falls," Zaun whispered as he shook Trump's hand.

Trump immediately acknowledged the mistake, replying, "Oh, is that right?" before carrying on.

Moments later, he attempted a recovery by asking, "So Sioux City, let me ask you: How many people come from Sioux City?"

The quick correction and equally quick recovery gave the crowd a lighthearted moment. Online, people had plenty of fun with it.

One commenter joked, "Trump, this is the extra-large version of 'where am I?'" while another laughed at what they called the "attempt at damage control."

Accepting one of the nation's highest military honors is usually a serious moment. This one came with an unexpected bit of comedy.

During a White House ceremony, Trump appeared to have trouble fastening the Congressional Medal of Honor around Army Major Nicholas Dockery's neck.

After spending nearly a minute trying to secure the clasp, he eventually abandoned the original plan and simply tied the ribbon into a knot.

The audience watched the improvised solution unfold before breaking into laughter. Once the medal was finally in place, Trump looked at the crowd and joked, “Now that's not coming off now.”

Photos from the event later showed the ribbon tied tightly behind Dockery's head, making the whole moment look even more memorable.

One of Trump’s most unexpectedly funny viral moments happened during a Christmas Eve phone call with a seven-year-old girl named Collman Lloyd.

As part of the annual NORAD Santa Tracker tradition, children called in to check on Santa’s whereabouts, and some calls were connected to the White House.

The conversation started normally enough, with Trump asking Collman about her Christmas plans.

Then came the moment that caught everyone off guard.

After learning she was seven years old, he asked, “Are you still a believer in Santa?” When she replied yes, Trump added, “'Cause at seven, it’s marginal, right?”

The brief exchange immediately took on a life of its own online.

While Collman later said she still believed in Santa and happily left out cookies and milk that night, the internet couldn't stop talking about the oddly direct question.

Many viewers found the moment hilarious.

One person joked, “I still think he's talking to himself and nobody's on that phone.” Another simply summed it up: “So funny at so many levels.”

Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025 produced plenty of memorable moments, but one of the most talked-about came just seconds before he took the oath of office.

As Trump approached Melania Trump to greet her, he appeared to lean in for a traditional cheek kiss. There was just one problem- Melania’s dramatic wide-brimmed hat had created what looked like an invisible force field.

Instead of a kiss, the pair ended up sharing an awkward air kiss, leaving several inches between them.

The brief moment quickly went viral online, with viewers replaying the clip and turning it into a meme. The hat, which largely obscured Melania’s face throughout the ceremony, made any close contact nearly impossible.

Social media had a field day with the near-miss.

One person joked, “Nah, that’s wifi kiss,” while another laughed, “I think she chose that hat so he couldn't kiss her.”

Even the short walk up the stairs to Air Force One can create a viral moment, and Trump learned that the hard way after a brief stumble while boarding the presidential aircraft en route to Camp David in 2025.

The moment happened after Trump spoke with reporters in Maryland.

As he climbed the steps, he appeared to lose his footing for a second before quickly recovering and continuing on his way.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio experienced a similar slip while boarding, giving social media users even more material to work with.

The stumble itself was minor, but the internet immediately turned it into a major talking point.

As expected, the jokes arrived quickly. One commenter quipped, “Is he a robot that he can't tumble?” while another joked, “Why is he walking up the ladder? He is the king of the world.”

Few presidential typos have achieved the level of fame that “covfefe” managed to reach.

It all started late one night in 2017 when Trump posted a tweet that read, “Despite the constant negative press covfefe.” The message ended there, leaving millions of people wondering what on earth “covfefe” meant.

The tweet was quickly deleted, but the internet had already done what the internet does best.

Memes, jokes, theories, merchandise, and even songs appeared almost overnight.

Rather than dismissing it as a typo, Trump later leaned into the mystery by posting, “Who can figure out the true meaning of ‘covfefe’ ??? Enjoy!”

The confusion only grew when the then-White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked about the tweet.

Instead of calling it a typo, he famously replied, “The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant.” Even Hillary Clinton joined the fun, joking on social media, “People in covfefe houses shouldn't throw covfefe.”

What could have been a forgotten spelling mistake instead became one of the most famous internet moments of Trump’s presidency.

Years later, he even revived the joke by posting “I’M BACK! #COVFEFE” on Truth Social and later quipping, “All I hear is covfefe” during another viral White House video.

The reactions were just as memorable. One supporter wrote, “My 74-year-old mother watched this like four times and belly laughing each time you said, ‘I hear covfefe.’”

Another commented, “Hahahhaha I love our President!!”

Some gaffes disappear within hours. Others somehow end up selling T-shirts.

During a speech in 2020, Trump accidentally pronounced Yosemite National Park as "Yo Semite," instantly creating one of those internet moments people couldn't stop talking about.

While many laughed at the slip-up, one museum benefited from the unexpected attention.

The National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia already sold a long-running "Yo Semite" T-shirt, based on a joke created years earlier at a Jewish summer camp near Yosemite. But after Trump's pronunciation made headlines, demand exploded.

Museum staff said sales became "astronomical," with the shirt suddenly outselling every other item in their gift shop.

The creator of the design, Sarah Lefton, explained that the joke had existed for years, but the viral moment introduced it to a much wider audience.

Online, people had plenty of fun with the mix-up.

One commenter joked, "I can't believe he's the president," while another wrote that he sometimes sounds "like a freshman doing a book report on a story they didn't read."

Few things are more relatable than calling someone and being met with complete silence on the other end.

Unfortunately for Trump, it happened while cameras were rolling inside the Oval Office in 2018.

As he prepared for what was meant to be a major announcement, Trump attempted to connect a call on speakerphone.

Instead, he found himself repeatedly asking, "Hello?" while glancing around the room for help.

With photographers snapping away, the awkward pause stretched on. Trump rolled his eyes, looked toward the staff, and joked, "It's a big thing. A lot of people are waiting."

The phone still refused to cooperate. After another round of button pressing and a few more hopeful "Hello?" attempts, a staff member finally stepped in and rescued the situation by working the controls.

The delay only lasted moments, but it was enough to create a memorable blooper.

One viewer joked that it looked like Trump was "in a call queue to discuss problems with his broadband connection," while another simply predicted, "New SNL skit coming."

Meeting royalty comes with a long list of traditions, and one memorable moment during Trump's visit to Windsor Castle in 2018 showed just how easy it can be to get turned around.

While walking with Queen Elizabeth II during a ceremonial inspection, Trump briefly stepped ahead of the monarch, then suddenly stopped. The pause created an awkward moment as the Queen appeared to sidestep around him and continue walking.

The clip quickly went viral because Trump seemed momentarily unsure of where to go next. Viewers couldn't help but focus on the brief confusion, which played out before cameras and royal guards.

The moment became even more talked about because royal etiquette generally encourages guests to follow the monarch's lead during official appearances. But for many online, it was less about protocol and more about the visual comedy of the situation.

One commenter joked, "Trump was looking around like 'where did she go' lol," while another wondered how difficult it must have been for the royal guards to keep a straight face.