President Donald Trump was very thirsty on Wednesday, November 15. Ten minutes into his speech at the White House, he abruptly paused to take an extended drink of water.
While recapping his recent 11-day, five-nation Asia trip, the parched 71-year-old bent over to look behind his podium for something to quench his thirst. “They don’t have water. That’s OK,” he said. A reporter then pointed to a bottle of Fiji water within arm’s reach of the lectern, saying, “To your right, sir.”
Trump grabbed the bottle and turned to the side as he spent six seconds unscrewing the cap. He then gripped the bottle with both hands, chucked his head back and took a gulp. The reporters in the room stayed silent throughout the entire debacle.
Licking his lips, the former Celebrity Apprentice host resumed his remarks, only to take a second sip of water minutes later.
The awkward moment was reminiscent of the time Senator Marco Rubio made headlines for sipping water during his response to then-president Barack Obama’s State of the Union address in 2013. Trump mocked Rubio’s water break at the time, tweeting, “Next time Marco Rubio should drink his water from a glass as opposed to a bottle—would have much less negative impact.” He also mentioned Rubio’s incident several times during the 2016 presidential campaign, once calling him a “choke artist.”
Next time Marco Rubio should drink his water from a glass as opposed to a bottle—would have much less negative impact.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 13, 2013
Naturally, the Florida Senator, 46, responded to Trump’s own fumble. “Similar,but needs work on his form,” he tweeted on Wednesday. “Has to be done in one single motion & eyes should never leave the camera. But not bad for his 1st time.”
Similar,but needs work on his form.Has to be done in one single motion & eyes should never leave the camera. But not bad for his 1st time https://t.co/s49JtyRo3S
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 15, 2017
The Late Show host Stephen Colbert chimed in, too. “Wow, that is hard to watch,” he said on Wednesday night’s episode. “You know what, after watching that I need a drink.”
TONIGHT: President Trump is back from his overseas trip and is celebrating Thirsty Thursday a little early… #LSSC pic.twitter.com/mO2KB5LA76
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) November 16, 2017
