President Donald Trump was requested throughout a press convention on April 30, 2025, in regards to the attainable impression of his tariff insurance policies and commerce struggle with China.
Trump answered that American youngsters ought to put together to make sacrifices at Christmas.
“Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know,” he mentioned, “and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally.”
The New York Occasions reported that Trump gave the impression to be telling children they must handle with fewer toys this yr for the sake of his financial agenda.
Jane Mayer, a reporter with The New Yorker, referred to as it “Trump’s Marie Antoinette moment.”
This was not the primary − or final − time Trump mentioned one thing that left many People with mouths open and heads shaking.
“I don’t really believe I’ve made any mistakes,” Trump replied.
The viewers, representing a cross part of People, burst out laughing.
Trump’s gaffes aren’t simply a part of his presidency; gaffes are a part of the storied custom of the American presidency. A few of these feedback have clung to presidents and even affected historical past.
Listed below are examples from every president over the previous 50 years or so of statements that a minimum of a few of them had been embarrassed by or got here to remorse. Every was made when the president was serving within the White Home. The quotes are organized chronologically.
Donald Trump auditions for Grinch-who-stole-Christmas position.
Richard Nixon is a law-abiding man
On Nov. 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, within the midst of the Watergate scandal that may finish his presidency, defended himself towards expenses of corruption.
“People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook,” Nixon mentioned. “Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.”
As a substitute of quelling the scandal, as Nixon hoped, his phrases produced the other response. He resigned from the presidency 9 months later in August 1974.
Gerald Ford forgets the Chilly Conflict
Gerald Ford, Nixon’s vice chairman who grew to become president after Nixon’s resignation, subsequently ran for election in 1976.
Throughout considered one of his televised debates towards Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter, Ford inexplicably claimed the Soviet Union didn’t management Jap Europe.
“There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe,” Ford mentioned, “and there never will be under a Ford administration.”
To which the moderator, New York Occasions editor Might Frankel, mentioned, “I’m sorry, what?”
Ford’s comment was so outrageously incorrect that it might have contributed to his defeat within the tight presidential election.
Gerald Ford says it’s actually a Heat, not Chilly, Conflict.
Jimmy Carter will get recommendation from his teen
Carter defeated Ford and was elected in 1976. He ran for reelection towards Republican nominee Ronald Reagan in 1980. Throughout considered one of their debates, Carter mentioned he sought the recommendation of his 13-year-old daughter, Amy, on what was an important situation going through America.
“She said she thought it was nuclear weaponry,” Carter mentioned, “and the control of nuclear arms.”
Carter tried to indicate that arms management was a topic that had nice resonance to even 13-year-olds. As a substitute, it left viewers puzzled why he had inserted his daughter into the controversy. A wire service story on the time summarized the response by saying that reporters masking the controversy winced and others groaned.
Jimmy Carter has a wise 13-year-old daughter.
Ronald Reagan assaults Russia
Reagan, a former tv and film actor who defeated Carter within the 1980 presidential election, was referred to as “the Great Communicator” for his eloquence.
A well known anti-Communist, Reagan was not at all times cautious about what he mentioned.
Earlier than a speech on Aug. 11, 1984, Reagan joked throughout a sound examine, “I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”
The joke on the open mic, which was not broadcast reside however leaked later, resulted in a Soviet crimson alert − and quickly moved the U.S. and Soviet Union towards struggle.
George H.W. Bush eats phrase salad
Reagan’s successor, his vice chairman, George H.W. Bush, by comparability was no nice communicator. His phrases got here out of his mouth and appeared to go in separate methods.
“I have opinions of my own, strong opinions,” Bush mentioned, “but I don’t always agree with them.”
Invoice Clinton is or isn’t, perhaps
Democrat Invoice Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush within the 1992 presidential election.
Clinton’s presidency was dogged with accusations of unethical conduct and extramarital affairs. Clinton, in testimony earlier than a grand jury investigating his affair with White Home intern Monica Lewinsky, was requested whether or not he was mendacity when he advised aides that “there’s nothing going on” between him and Lewinsky.
“It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is,” Clinton responded. “If the − if he − if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not − that is one thing.”
Slate journal mentioned that this response might have been the “defining moment” of his presidency and, in doing so, captured his contribution to semantics. As Time journal identified,
“Until then, America hadn’t been sure there was more than one definition of ‘is.’”
George W. Bush’s disgrace
George W. Bush, the son of George H.W. Bush, succeeded Clinton within the White Home. People realized that Bush had extra in frequent together with his father than simply the identical final title.
“There’s an old saying in Tennessee − I know it’s in Texas,” Bush mentioned, “probably in Tennessee, that says, fool me once, shame on − shame on you. Fool me − you can’t get fooled again.”
Barack Obama strikes out
Barack Obama, like Reagan, was identified for his humorousness. And like Reagan, Obama realized that not all the pieces was a joking matter.
Whereas showing on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno in 2009, Obama mentioned he had improved his bowling by working towards on the White Home bowling alley. He advised Leno he had bowled a pedestrian rating of 129, scary a sarcastic response from Leno.
Obama then made the next joke: “It’s like the Special Olympics or something.”
Obama rapidly apologized to the Particular Olympics, the athletic competitors for individuals with mental disabilities.
Obama made a foul joke in regards to the Particular Olympics throughout an interview with Jay Leno; he rapidly apologized for it.
Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Pictures
Joe Biden’s dangerous day
Trump was first elected president in 2016 however was defeated by Joe Biden within the 2020 election. Trump and Biden confronted one another once more in 2024.
Throughout a tv debate on June 27, 2024, CNN anchor Jake Tapper requested Biden why voters ought to belief him to resolve the immigration disaster. Biden mentioned he modified a regulation that allowed Trump and his administration to separate immigrant households and put youngsters in cages.
Biden’s practice of thought then jumped the tracks.
“And I’m going to continue to move until we get the total ban on the − the total initiative relative to what we’re going to do with more Border Patrol and more asylum officers,” Biden mentioned.
“I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence,” Trump mentioned, “and I don’t think he did, either.”
The identical might be mentioned for a lot of what Biden mentioned through the debate.
Biden withdrew from the presidential race three weeks after his poor debate efficiency.
