Members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet and his reelection team posed for a photo on a flight from Iowa to Washington while wearing red hats with “Keep Iowa Great” written on them.
And Twitter users tried to wrap their heads around some of the oddities in the image, from the less-than-thrilled expression on the face of acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney to the unusually gleeful one on Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
Several people, including Mulvaney and Trump’s eldest sons ― Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump ― moved from seats in the front cabin to the back to be in the photo. Housing Secretary Ben Carson also moved from the front to be in the photo, but not to a seat. Rather, he perched on an armrest and appeared mostly in the center aisle of the plane and in the middle of the image.
Twitter users tried to take some guesses as to what was going on in the awkward photo:
When the Sunken Place doesn't even have a seat for you.😳 pic.twitter.com/03hyjox5H5
— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) February 4, 2020
This is definitely a Mick Mulvaney hostage video... https://t.co/CwuQ1QV9R3 pic.twitter.com/eY75fifBSW
— Kevin Walling (@KevinPWalling) February 4, 2020
The government officials in this photo have spent *a lot* of time at properties Trump owns and profits from. Here’s how many times they’ve visited:
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) February 4, 2020
Wilbur Ross-17
Mick Mulvaney-13
Kevin McCarthy-13
Mark Meadows-10
Ben Carson-8
Jim Jordan-7
Matt Gaetz-7
David Bernhardt-4 pic.twitter.com/6Jk0CQVLUa
Did they kidnap Mulvaney and hold him hostage? https://t.co/07PWkzSPWb
— Witch, Hunting🦸🏻♀️ (@JustAGirl515) February 4, 2020
wow an entire plane full of people who use the recliner https://t.co/w2gyVF2lPT
— Rob Flaherty (@Rob_Flaherty) February 4, 2020
Weird I wonder why Ben Carson was awkwardly shoehorned into the center of this photo. pic.twitter.com/GKZnTBPzWR
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) February 4, 2020
* record scratch *
— Morten Øverbye (@morten) February 4, 2020
* freeze frame *
Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation. pic.twitter.com/CsDHmQlJnE
I fixed it so that Ben Carson looks just like every other Republican.
— Paul Lidicul (@PaulLidicul) February 4, 2020
#IowaCaucas pic.twitter.com/FDjDKw6ngl
There is a lot happening in this picture, but also only one thing happening pic.twitter.com/Pn247J83LA
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) February 4, 2020
The last thing you see before you fall into the Sunken Place pic.twitter.com/p9ZSELOMTB
— Mikey B. 🕺 (@MeMikeyB) February 4, 2020
Everyone’s smiling except Mulvaney. Even Wilbur Ross looks happy. Mick’s face tells you who in that sea of red hats has the worst job. https://t.co/zEA4jziQUp
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) February 4, 2020
How did they get Wilbur Ross to fly commercial?! https://t.co/N8AjcOgfkX
— thirst bandit (@pdxrivers) February 5, 2020
The GOP sure looks like a cult to me. pic.twitter.com/DaKBCfqpgF
— Ryan Knight 🏳️🌈 🗽 (@ProudResister) February 4, 2020
Look who’s awake pic.twitter.com/kCEL9z2nB7
— Schooley (@Rschooley) February 4, 2020
A few observations:
— Alan Ashby (@ashby112) February 4, 2020
1) Why is Ben Carson the only one not seated?
2) Mick Mulvaney looks like he's filming a hostage video.
3) The diversity is really reflective of what truly makes this country great...for white people.#NotMyPresident #ImpeachedForLife #AnyoneButTrump2020 https://t.co/9qLwEasCg6
“If we make BEN CARSON awkwardly stand squat in the aisle, it will make it less obvious that everyone on this bus is white.” pic.twitter.com/GCPgZFNl8e
— Kristina Wong ❄️ (@mskristinawong) February 4, 2020
[Record scratch] You’re probably wondering how I ended up on this plane with nowhere to sit and surrounded by white people. pic.twitter.com/bGt6fwu2uP
— darren, a dog liker (@tai_nugget) February 4, 2020
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