Donald Trump’s awkward water bottle moment steals the show
"He needs work on his form ... But not bad for his 1st time." Photo: AAP
It was supposed be about the triumphs of his Asia tour. But President Donald Trump’s post-tour speech may be remembered more for a rather awkward water bottle moment.
During a detailed account of his five-nation tour that went for almost 24 minutes, the President needed a brief break to reach for a bottle of water to take a swig – twice.
When Mr Trump couldn’t find any water around his lectern, he was told it was sitting on a small table to his right. The President removed cap, took a drink and then resumed his speech. He took another swig later in the speech.
Mr Trump’s awkward water break drew instant comparisons to Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s 2013 speech after then-President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, and Mr Trump’s mockery of the moment.
In 2016, Mr Trump repeatedly ridiculed Senator Rubio, his former Republican rival, for his need to take a drink during speeches.
Giving the Republican response to the address, Senator Rubio reached for a bottle of water during the televised address – all while keeping his gaze on the camera – and later laughed it off as a case of dry mouth.
“When they put Marco on to refute President Obama’s speech, do you remember that catastrophe?” Mr Trump told a campaign crowd in Fort Worth, Texas, in February 2016.
Remember when Trump made fun of Marco Rubio for drinking water?
No?
It looked a lot like this. pic.twitter.com/IYr2cpWk60— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly 🌸 (@AynRandPaulRyan) November 15, 2017
Mr Trump mocked Senator Rubio, saying, “He’s like this: ‘I need water. Help me, I need water,”’ Mr Trump said, pretending to stagger on stage.
“This is on live television. This total choke artist,” Mr Trump said at the time, holding up a bottle of water, saying: “It’s Rubio. Unbelievable,”
Senator Rubio wasn’t about to let the chance go by, though, joking after the President’s speech that Mr Trump needed to work on his form.
Retweeting a video of the episode, Senator Rubio wrote on Twitter” “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.”
‘America is here to compete’
During the speech, Mr Trump also touted his efforts on advancing what he dubs “fair and reciprocal trade”, vowing to “take every trade action necessary” to protect US interests.
“In Asia, our message was clear and well-received: America is here to compete, to do business and to defend our values and our security,” he said, having advanced his America First agenda while abroad.
He pointed to business agreements inked in Japan, South Korea and China as well as agreement at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam to call for reforms at the World Trade Organisation.
He said he had a candid conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the US trade deficit with China and said the US “can no longer tolerate unfair trading practices that steal American jobs, wealth and intellectual property”.
“The days of the United States being taken advantage of are over,” he said.
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