Drawing national attention during a 9/11 memorial visit to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, President Joe Biden was seen wearing a “Trump 2024” campaign hat.
The incident, caught on video, ignited online discussions as Biden demonstrated an unanticipated act of bipartisan unity.
The scene unfolded at the Shanksville Fire Station, where Biden had arrived after attending a ceremony at the United Airlines Flight 93 memorial site, a tribute to one of the four planes hijacked on September 11, 2001.
In a playful interaction, Biden grabbed the campaign hat from a Trump supporter while speaking to firefighters and attendees at the station, briefly covering his own hat. White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates clarified that this act was meant to symbolize “bipartisan unity”, a theme Biden had emphasized earlier in the day.
“At the Shanksville Fire Station, @POTUS spoke about the country’s bipartisan unity after 9/11 and said we needed to get back to that,” Bates posted on X. He added that Biden, in a gesture of goodwill, passed a hat to a Trump supporter who then suggested the President wear his Trump cap. Biden briefly complied.
The viral snapshot of Biden in the red Trump hat triggered extensive online discussion, with some doubting the video’s authenticity. The initial speculation was that the footage was AI-generated or manipulated. However, conservative commentators promptly verified its authenticity. “No, this is not AI. This is President Joe Biden donning a Trump 2024 hat,” tweeted conservative author Carmine Sabia.
Other public figures added their comments to the fray, providing humorous interpretations of the event. Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis jokingly suggested even Joe Biden might vote for President Trump. Meanwhile, Will O’Grady, press secretary for Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt, quipped, “Joe Biden is gonna get prosecuted by his own DOJ now.”
This unusual interaction occurred on a solemn day of remembrance. President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump attended several ceremonies to pay tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks.
Biden’s remarks during the event underscored the need to recapture the spirit of unity that was evident after the 9/11 attacks, when political differences appeared to diminish as the nation united in grief and recovery. Bates indicated that the hat exchange at the fire station was a reflection of this sentiment.
While some appreciated the gesture, others responded with skepticism or humor. The incident quickly became a media sensation. Conservative political pundits and journalists shared their perspectives, including Piers Morgan who tweeted, “Joe Biden just put on a Trump 2024 campaign cap. This is not a joke… he really did,” accompanied by a playful monkey covering its eyes emoji.
Despite the range of reactions, the White House asserted that Biden’s decision to wear the hat was a calculated move to bridge political divisions. Bates explained that the president seized the opportunity to underscore his message of bipartisan unity which was a major theme during his speeches throughout the day.
