President Joe Biden addressed the nation on April 8, emphasizing eye safety during the solar eclipse. This announcement, delivered via a video posted on social media platform X, included a subtle reference to a prior incident involving former President Donald Trump.
The President’s message reiterated the advice of eye care experts, stressing the importance of wearing protective eyewear during an eclipse. His words seemed to allude to Trump’s 2017 eclipse viewing, which drew substantial attention and criticism for his lack of protective eyewear.
“An eclipse is worth marveling at. But don’t be silly, folks – play it safe and wear protective eyewear,” said Biden, sporting a pair of eclipse glasses. He stood on the same White House balcony where Trump had observed a partial solar eclipse in 2017 without eye protection.
On August 21, 2017, Trump, along with First Lady Melania and his son Barron, joined White House staff to watch the eclipse. Ignoring expert advice not to stare directly at the sun, even when partially obscured, Trump looked upwards. According to a White House pool report, Trump gestured towards a group of employees, pointing upwards, prompting a nearby White House assistant to exclaim, “Don’t look!”
This episode was widely mocked on social media. Seven years later, as another solar eclipse would be visible from Texas to Maine, Trump’s actions were humorously cited as a reminder of the importance of eye protection during such events.
Eye care professionals have consistently warned that short exposure to the sun during an eclipse, without proper protection, can result in permanent vision damage. They recommend eclipse glasses, which offer multiple times more protection than regular sunglasses, for safe viewing.
In addition to Biden’s video, the White House issued a written reminder about the wonder of eclipses and the need for safety precautions. This message seemed to serve two purposes: promoting eye safety during eclipses and indirectly critiquing Trump’s previous dismissal of safety guidelines.
Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton also used the occasion to mock Trump, sharing a reminder on X with the famed photo of Trump looking at the sun. “Please do not take medical advice from a man who looked directly at a solar eclipse,” she stated.
The path of totality for the eclipse, where the moon fully covers the sun, stretched from Texas to western New York. Biden had scheduled visits to Madison, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois on April 8, both locations west of the totality zone.
