If you were paying attention to the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) conference at the end of July, then you might have noticed an incredibly odd moment wherein presidential candidate Donald Trump did something a bit strange.
Trump made an appearance at the NABJ in Chicago on Wednesday, July 31 for a live interview and, as you can imagine, it did not go down very well. Speaking to journalist Rachel Scott, the convicted felon found himself in an unfamiliar situation in which he wasn’t surrounded by his own cult-like supporters and yes-men. This was apparent as Scott immediately began interrogating him on his past comments regarding race. While he can normally get away with saying almost anything and expect instant support from his goons, his retorts this time weren’t met with thunderous applause.
In the time since the interview, one peculiar moment has stuck out as being particularly weird. At one point during the whole ordeal, Trump reaches over and takes Scott’s water bottle and appears to fiddle with it. But why?
Why did Donald Trump touch Rachel Scott’s water bottle?
In the time since the conference, folks on social media have drawn more attention to Trump’s behavior, wondering what on earth prompted him to reach for Scott’s water bottle and seemingly tighten the cap before setting it back down. His own water bottle was to his right, whereas Scott’s was to his left, so it’s not like he could have mistaken the two. In times like this, it’s only natural to turn to Hollywood legend Bette Midler to shine a light on the mystery. She’s been keeping close tabs on Trump lately and you know she had some thoughts on the interaction:
That’s certainly one theory that could explain Trump’s actions. I do often wonder if he has any sort of concept around personal hygiene, especially after all the reports that he smells like diapers (and wears them). I know I certainly wouldn’t touch that bottle after Trump had put his grubby mitts all over it.
It does look sort of intentional, too, as he waits until Scott has turned away to grab the bottle, which is pretty shifty, even for a convicted felon. The interview was a little intense, so perhaps Trump thought he could “show her” by making her seriously ill with his unwashed hands ⏤ a classic Trump prank, no? Other than that, it’s kind of hard to determine why he was messing with Scott’s bottle, unless he really did forget that his own bottle was, in fact, to his right. Then again, I guess that’s what happens when you’re just south of 80 and seeking to become an American dictator.
X users responded to Midler’s post with their own jokes at the former president’s expense, with one individual going particularly dark by saying Trump is used to tampering with women’s drinks. Another simply called him “nuts” while the Trump supporters in the comments pretended to be indignant at Midler’s poop “humor.” Either way, it was fun for many a viewer to watch Trump get torn to shreds at the NABJ, and hopefully we’ll be seeing more interviews like this in the coming months, with reporters not giving an inch just because Trump’s pockets allegedly run deep. Just remember to always keep your bottles out of his reach.