President Donald Trump displayed a surprising reaction during a military flyover alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping — and it became an instant meme.
The viral incident occurred during a red-carpet ceremony put on for Xi at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Wednesday. The Chinese leader is in the U.S. for a high-stakes summit with Trump.
As the two men stood side by side on the tarmac, a pair of B-1 bombers flew overhead, and the supersonic aircraft produced an overpowering roaring sound.
The 80-year-old Republican president, whose gloved hand was lifted to his brow in a salute, glanced upward before dramatically closing his eyes and wincing. Meanwhile, Xi appeared unresponsive during the planned flyover.
The moment quickly took on a life of its own on social media, with commenters skewering Trump for what they described as an over-the-top, comic reaction. Others marveled at his seemingly unfailing ability to produce a memorable photograph.
US President Donald Trump salutes next to Chinese President Xi Jinping as he arrives ahead of a state visit at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, September 23, 202 (Reuters)
‘Hang it in the Louvre’
“Hang it in the Louvre,” wrote one X commenter, using a popular internet phrase used for photos or moments described as visual masterpieces.
Natalie Harp by Trump’s side
Another user superimposed an image of Natalie Harp, Trump’s loyal assistant, by the president’s side as he winced. She is seen holding a comically large pile of bags, a MAGA hat and red tie.
‘Flashbacks to the past’
Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender who previously socialized with Trump, also featured in one of the memes. An X user portrayed the deceased financier behind the president, captioning the post: “Sudden flashbacks to the past.”
‘Mogged’
Trump’s dramatic wince, in the eyes of some users, made him appear weaker than Xi — and that sentiment came through in a number of memes. One depicted Xi as a hypermasculine man with a pronounced jawline with the caption “mogged,” a term that means being completely outshined or made to look inferior.
‘Scare him’
Another commenter posted a meme of Trump instructing a U.S. military pilot to “scare” Xi with the flyover. Then it cut to Trump himself, rather than Xi, mouth agape and looking terrified.
Not exactly how Trump depicts himself
One user noted that the viral flyover moment is not exactly in line with how the Republican president likes to depict himself. The user included an AI-style meme from Trump’s Truth Social which portrays the president in a military uniform with a stern look on his face.
Rubio whispering to Trump
Yet another commenter posted a meme depicting Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispering to Trump, seemingly riffing off the viral photo of George W. Bush being told about the 9/11 attacks. “Sir, Xi didn’t flinch at all,” Rubio says.
