President Donald Trump and Melania Trump visited troops, military families, and members of the U.S. special forces at Fort Bragg on Friday, but things didn’t go quite as planned.
The first lady spoke to the crowd first and introduced her wayward husband, but things quickly went amiss before Trump ever reached the stage.
Before Melania brought out Trump, she addressed the Army troops at the North Carolina military installation and she praised them for their bravery.
“The president and I are grateful to be with you to honor the passion you share through unmatched bravery, resilience, and service to our great nation,” Melania said before thanking the troops.
After wishing the men and women a Happy Valentine’s Day, she introduced the president.
“And now, it is my distinct honor to introduce your commander in chief, our leader who maintains a mission of peace through strength, President Donald J. Trump,” she said.
Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” song began playing, but Trump was nowhere to be seen. As the music went on and the camera panned out to the crowd as everyone waited, the 79-year-old finally emerged, making his slow walk to the stage with just a few cheers.
When Trump finally made it on stage, Melania kissed him on each cheek, and Trump turned to face the crowd while waiting for more praise. When all he heard was awkward silence, he put his hand behind his ear to express his desire for applause, and the crowd immediately began to applaud and cheer.
🚨 BREAKING: ABSOLUTE MADNESS at Fort Bragg!
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 13, 2026
A literal SEA of U.S. troops just ERUPTED when First Lady Melania brought President Trump on stage!
Roaring cheers, hats in the air, pure love for their Commander-in-Chief.
pic.twitter.com/phPMfZkSKv
After he reached the podium, Trump claimed he made the gesture because he loved the song, which has become an anthem of sorts at the president’s rallies.
“I was really referring to the song,” Trump said as he began what became a partisan speech replete with appeals to vote Republican this fall.
A video of the moment was shared on X with the caption, “BREAKING: ABSOLUTE MADNESS at Fort Bragg! A literal SEA of U.S. troops just ERUPTED when First Lady Melania brought President Trump on stage! Roaring cheers, hats in the air, pure love for their Commander-in-Chief.”
However, the post was quickly dragged as users noted that there was no eruption of cheers until after Trump demanded it with his gesture.
One user joked, “Did someone clap at some point? I must have missed it.” Another asked, “Are the roaring cheers in the room with us right now?”
A few users noted how quiet the room was before Trump begged for applause, writing, “If you remove the music you can actually hear the pin drop.”
Another said, “No, they didn’t, not until they were prompted to do so. The room was remarkably quiet.” Two pointed out, “They literally didn’t clap until he asked them to… yikes” and “Literally 1 person clapping until he awkwardly put his hand to his ear.”
“The energy says everything. Our troops know who respects them, supports them, and puts America first. That kind of reaction doesn’t come from speeches, it comes from leadership,” replied one. Another user joked, “LMAO he had to tell them to clap.”
Trump often tends to change his behavior around soldiers, whom he previously also insulted when he was at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware last December to honor a civilian interpreter and two Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria.
Trump refused to bow his head along with the military officials next to him during the ceremony receiving fallen soldiers in Dover today pic.twitter.com/f6tDMsLhNB
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 18, 2025
Rather than seek applause, the needy president kept his head held high, while the officials around him lowered their heads to properly mourn the troops who had given the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Many believed he knew was doing and intended to be disrespectful toward the troops fighting for our country
A single image can convey a lot, but multiple images reveal Trump’s disregard for the brave individuals who risked everything for our nation. In the end, it appears he always strives to be the most prominent figure in the room, even if he has to beg for applause or ridicule.
