Trump trolled ahead of eclipse for staring directly at the sun

Among everything else that happened in his four years in office, perhaps one of the most enduring images of Donald Trump’s presidency is of the then-president standing with the first lady on the terrace of the White House, staring directly into the sun during a solar eclipse.

It was 21 August 2017 and Mr Trump and Melania, alongside members of the cabinet and White House staffers, emerged from the executive mansion to witness the celestial phenomenon.

Against the advice of every expert to not look directly at the sun, no matter how much of it is covered, the then-president stared straight up.

According to the White House pool report, the president initially gesticulated to a crowd of administration staffers gathered below the balcony and pointed to the sky. As he did so, one of the White House aides standing nearby shouted: “Don’t look!”

The moment was immediately mocked on social media, and seven years later, as millions of Americans wait to see the sun covered by the moon from Texas to Maine, the former president is being trolled as a warning to remember to use appropriate eyewear.

President Joe Biden posted a short video in which he is standing in the same place that Mr Trump stood in 2017, although he is wearing protective eyewear.

“An eclipse is worth marveling at,” the post reads. “But don’t be silly, folks – play it safe and wear protective eyewear.”

Former secretary of state and Trump foe Hillary Clinton joined in, reposting a tweet from the height of the Covid-19 pandemic with the addition of a picture of Mr Trump staring at the sun.

“Please do not take medical advice from a man who looked directly at a solar eclipse,” she reminds Americans.

California Democratic Rep Eric Swalwell also had a jab at the former president with a video of Mr and Mrs Trump gazing up at the sky — with their protective glasses on — only for the moon to turn into the Dark Brandon image of President Biden with glowing red eyes.

Others piled on, with one user mockingly claiming that protective eyewear is woke and another noting that Mr Trump could use the moment as a fundraising gimmick.

“It’s a narrow window, but if Trump can get the timing right and reach out to his supporters right at the start of the eclipse, and tell them the sun won’t reappear unless they pledge money to him, he could make a few million dollars from some of the world’s most gullible idiots,” wrote comedy writer Paul Bassett Davies.

Nasa offers a handy guide to eye safety during eclipses that reads: “Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.

“Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.

“When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times.”

Perhaps this time Mr Trump will pay closer attention.