Former Republican President Donald Trump reached a dubious milestone over the weekend. He unseated one of his arch-enemies, fellow 2016 Republican Primary contender Jeb Bush, as the latest GOP politician to go viral for having to beg an audience for applause.
A new video clip posted by the Twitter account PatriotTakes shows Trump appearing at his Mar-A-Lago club in Florida to little fanfare—until he instructs those there to clap for him.
The scene struck many as... well, pathetic frankly, and they're dragging him to filth for it.
See the moment below.
Trump asking for applause from the Mar-a-Lago brunch crowd. Sad.pic.twitter.com/VuL33c0eGp— PatriotTakes \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@PatriotTakes \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1642975370
The incident occurred during Sunday brunch at Mar-a-Lago in one its dining rooms. As diners looked on and waiters passed by, Trump could be seen hovering in what appeared to be a back hallway, wearing one of his signature, Chinese-made "Make America Great Again" ballcaps.
After surveying the crowd for a moment and not liking what he saw, Trump waved his arms in the air to instruct the diners to clap for him. When they obliged, clapping and cheering, he gave them a thumbs-up.
Of course, people couldn't help but be reminded of the deeply cringe moment during a 2016 campaign stop when Jeb Bush, former Republican Governor of Florida and brother of former Republican President George W. Bush, delivered what he seemed to think would be a big applause line to no response whatsoever.
He infamously replied, by instructing the attendees to "please clap," his voice full of palpable disappointment.
\u201cPlease Clap\u201d-Jeb Bushhttps://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1485372477119340545\u00a0\u2026— Trevor Hopwood (@Trevor Hopwood) 1642982736
That moment all but sank Bush's 2016 Presidential run, who was previously believed to be the front-runner in the Republican primary that year despite a fairly obvious lack of enthusiasm in the electorate.
There's no telling just yet whether Trump's "please clap" moment has similar portents, of course, but people on Twitter certainly had a field day dragging him for it regardless.
Person Woman Man Camera Needinesshttps://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1485372477119340545\u00a0\u2026— Hil.i.am (@Hil.i.am) 1643004636
https://twitter.com/thedailybeast/status/1485576379039105024\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/p0Q93R5XK1— James Armstrong (@James Armstrong) 1643031131
Even Jeb Bush wouldn't clap for this.https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1485372477119340545\u00a0\u2026— Grant Stern is boosted! (@Grant Stern is boosted!) 1642995026
Bottomless pit of emotional neediness.https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1485372477119340545\u00a0\u2026— Andrea R MD (@Andrea R MD) 1642975700
I\u2019m sure he\u2019s already had the clap\u2026.— LalaMuzz (@LalaMuzz) 1642995551
You hate to see it... A year ago he was getting standing ovations... now he has to beg for them to clap\n\n'Please clap': Donald Trump ridiculed for appearing to beg for applause at Mar-a-Lagohttps://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-begs-for-applause/\u00a0\u2026— Sarah Burris (@Sarah Burris) 1643001180
Washed Up Retiree Pleads For Lovehttps://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-suffers-his-own-please-clap-moment-at-mar-a-lago-video-shows?ref=home?ref=home\u00a0\u2026— Allan Margolin (@Allan Margolin) 1643030146
'Please clap': \n\nIn a pathetic plea to be loved, the narcissistic sociopath can be seen appearing in front of diners at his Mar-a-Lago resort and getting absolutely no reaction... until he waggles his little hands at them.https://bit.ly/3KzLZoe— Bill Madden (he/him/\u00e9l) (@Bill Madden (he/him/\u00e9l)) 1643023173
Applause for what, walking into a room?— Cole (@Cole) 1642977815
What a #Loser.https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1485372477119340545\u00a0\u2026— Roshan Rinaldi (@Roshan Rinaldi) 1643002211
Feel the joy.https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1485372477119340545\u00a0\u2026— Schooley (@Schooley) 1642978914
Here's hoping Trump slinks off the political scene the way he slinks away from the dining crowd in this video.
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