In response to a viral picture of President Joe Biden wearing a Donald Trump hat, the White House said he meant the “gesture” as a show of “bipartisan unity” during a 9/11 commemoration event in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited the local fire department after laying a wreath at the 9/11 Flight 93 National Memorial.
“At the Shanksville Fire Station, @POTUS spoke about the country’s bipartisan unity after 9/11 and said we needed to get back to that,” White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates wrote in a post on X responding to the viral image that was shared by the Trump War Room account on the social media platform.
“As a gesture, he gave a hat to a Trump supporter who then said that in the same spirit, POTUS should put on his Trump cap. He briefly wore it,” Bates explaied.
At the Shanksville Fire Station, @POTUS spoke about the country’s bipartisan unity after 9/11 and said we needed to get back to that.
As a gesture, he gave a hat to a Trump supporter who then said that in the same spirit, POTUS should put on his Trump cap. He briefly wore it. https://t.co/7VKZnkVMY7
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) September 11, 2024
“Thanks for the support, Joe!” the Trump team posted.
“BREAKING: Kamala did so bad in last night’s debate, Joe Biden just put on a Trump hat,” another post read.
🚨BREAKING: Kamala did so bad in last night’s debate, Joe Biden just put on a Trump hat. pic.twitter.com/OzgCRKIbKp
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 11, 2024
In a more detailed video posted on TikTok, the president can be seen having an exchange with the man wearing the Trump hat who called Biden an “old fart” and asked if he remembered his name. The exchange came after the president seemed to be wanting to give him one of his caps to wear instead and the Trump supporter asked him to autograph it.
“I’ll give you my presidential hat,” Biden told the man.
Senior Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita asked, “What’s Happening?”
What’s Happening? pic.twitter.com/ofuvtb7OES
— Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) September 11, 2024
Trump yesterday: “He [Biden] hates her [Kamala]!”
Biden Today: *wears Trump 2024 hat*
🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/mCV3uG03QD
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 11, 2024