'Hopeless' country gives Trump the comeuppance he so richly deserves - Alternet.org
By: Alternet. org
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
There's a moment in every public figure's life that distills who they really are into a single, unforgettable image. For Donald Trump at the World Cup trophy ceremony, that moment came when he couldn't resist photobombing Spain's victory celebration.
Let's be clear about what happened: After presenting the trophy to Spanish captain Rodri, Trump positioned himself prominently center stage as the team prepared for their historic trophy lift. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Rodri had to gently nudge him out of the shot. He didn't take the hint gracefully. He lingered. He loomed. And then, in what became the most fitting ending to the moment, both FIFA and Spain's official accounts cropped him completely out of the celebratory photos that were shared around the world.
Think about that for a moment. The President of the United States was digitally erased from history by the very organizations hosting the event.
An Australian broadcaster captured the perfect hot-mic summary: "They can edit him out of that." It became an instant meme, and for good reason. It's the encapsulation of the entire incident—Trump's presence was so unwelcome, so tone-deaf, so fundamentally about him rather than the athletes, that it had to be surgically removed from the official record.
The Spectacular Irony
But here's where it gets even better. Just weeks earlier, at a NATO summit, Trump had publicly labeled Spain "hopeless" and called Spanish people "bad people." Yet there he was, grasping for a piece of their glory the moment they achieved something historic on the world stage.
That's not just tone-deaf. That's not just selfish. That's the kind of cognitive dissonance that would be funny if it weren't so deeply emblematic of how this administration operates. Insult a nation, then try to photobomb their victory. Demean their people, then smile for the cameras when they win.
And the crowd knew it. Trump's arrival at MetLife Stadium was met with deafening boos and whistles. The international crowd—thousands of people from different countries united in one sentiment—made their feelings clear. This was a moment for the athletes. This was Spain's night. And Trump turned it into Trump's moment.
The Defining Character Flaw
What's really revealing about this incident isn't that Trump tried to photobomb. It's that he apparently couldn't conceive of a moment that wasn't about him. He presented the trophy—fine. That's part of the ceremonial role. But then he stayed. He positioned himself front and center. He seemed genuinely confused about why the athletes wanted space to celebrate their own achievement.
This is who Trump is. Not a man who can gracefully step back and let others have their moment. Not a leader who understands that sometimes dignity means getting out of the way. Instead, it's someone so consumed with his own image, his own presence, his own need to be seen that he can't even allow athletes to celebrate a World Cup victory without making it about himself.
The fact that he had to be edited out of official photos—that FIFA and Spain found his presence in their victory photos so inappropriate that they removed him digitally—that's the real story. Not the memes. Not the hot-mic moment. The fact that the world's most prestigious sports organizations looked at the President of the United States and decided his presence in their trophy lift photo was something that needed to be corrected in post-production.
There's a reason that moment is going to be remembered far longer than Spain's actual victory. And it has nothing to do with soccer.
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In other words: Get lost Trump!
nicole wallace did a segment on the maga clown trying to hog the spotlight today ...
hopefully all the world cup visitors were able to get out of the US before the ICE nazis could move in ...
I think they should have made him stand in back of the back row, so you could just see his face and nothing else. Having him in the back of the back would have been the ultimate insult.
I do believe he is the most hated man on the planet
we're number one! we're number one!
he'd fake another assassination attempt, but with the levels of competence exhibited lately by his minions, he's afraid they'd fuck that up too ...
Morning..
He is neck and neck with Putin at the moment..
putin's getting transfusions into his right hand also ...
Morning...yes I heard the "they can edit him out of that"..I burst out laughing as did the rest of the country...
Yep the wonders of the digital age.. you're there one minute and gone the next..
Looks like the "hopeless and bad people" made someone eat their words and he is dumb enough not to get the hint...
Oh the irony..🤣🤣🤣
That was pretty funny. Kind of sad, though.
Does anyone remember this incident a number of years ago when Trump pushed a Prime Minister aside to pose in front at a NATO MEETING? That told the story a long time ago.
President Trump had to be led off the stage like Joe Biden? Has Trump started applauding imaginary people?
Does this not embarrass you? I was embarrassed by Biden, are we not allowed to be embarrassed by Trump being a doddering old fool because Biden was a doddering old fool first? I just don't get the knee jerk reaction some people have where they immediately have to link this to some what-about-ism instead of just admitting that what is happening now with the current President, is embarrassing and humiliating for most patriotic Americans.
If you think I'm going to defend fucking Trump then [✘] For eight years I have clearly stated that Trump is a clown, a buffoon who cannot string three words together into a coherent thought.
Just because I believe the Democratic Party has become a waste of air doesn't mean I'm a Trump supporter. I voted for Trump in 2020 and 2024 because he was a better choice; not because he was the best choice. If I'm forced to choose between another Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump then I'll choose Trump every time. That is not an endorsement of Trump. Don't blame me if the Democratic Party ain't worth spit.
That is sick, and not in a good way.
Trump has every failing that Hillary had, and about a thousand more.
Both do have cult like followings. But Hillary would have sold out the US to obtain approval from world leaders; EU leaders in particular. Hillary Clinton is a technocrat. That's how she ran the State Department. Hillary Clinton was an architect of the Trans Pacific Partnership and only changed her support during her Presidential campaign because of its unpopularity with voters.
Trump is a danger because of his incompetence. Hillary Clinton was a danger because of her competence in pursuing policies that would be harmful to the US. Hillary Clinton was backed by a political party that pursue the wrong priorities, such as actively trying to establish a 'brown' majority.
True.
That was certainly the bullshit fed to a lot of gullible Americans back in 2016. It's still total bullshit and it's sad that there are some who are so deluded as to believe that ridiculous nonsense, but it explains why we are here with a disaster like Trump in the oval office.
We have an age limit for when someone can run for POTUS. We need an upper age limit, also. I think 70 is a good age to limit candidates.
"brown majority"
What the fuck does that mean?
Don't you know the strategy of the progressive factions in the Democratic Party?
You have a problem with a white minority?[✘]
Nerm, the loss of the old 'white majority', or some new 'brown majority' is not something Democrats are "actively trying to establish", it's just a fact about the changing demographics AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT! Only absolute moronic xenophobic bigots would give a fuck about the change in demographics. No one is "losing" anything, we're gaining a more diverse cultural foundation, one that isn't just boring white bread bigotry. I'm white, but I don't fear any sort of loss of 'white culture' so why they fuck would I fear seeing more brown people in society?
Why should ANYONE give a fuck about demographics changing? And why is accepting the changing demographics supposedly a party platform? That's just moronic.
[✘]
People who give a fuck about demographic changes above all else are racists and bigots
It's not a domestic majority. The United States is already becoming a fragmented, multilateral global dependency. The United States is becoming another EU. The Democratic progressives are not gathering all of that diversity under one umbrella.
There is not a single Democratic Party any longer. The Party is made up of hyphenated Democrats. The Democratic Party is becoming a mirror of a fragmented EU.
The longed for 'brown majority' is supposed to transform the United States into a global imperium that uses its vast military power to fight for minority interests around the world. That is an impossible goal that will tear apart the United States.
The 'brown majority' is not about race. It's about global power and loss of national identity.
I would support age limits (both upper and lower) for all politicians, not just POTUS.
I would too
It's not a homegrown demographic change. The 'brown majority' narrative foisted by many, many progressive Democrats is all about changing global geopolitics to obtain more power for the global south.
The 'brown majority' means a non-Eurocentric majority. It's not about race. The white population of the planet is in the global north. The Equatorial regions and Global South are not white. The white race is a minority in the global population at only 10 to 16% of the total. The 'brown majority' politics of progressive Democrats is intended to globalize the United States.
Those who think the argument is about racial supremacy are woefully ignorant of what is being done.
That is just incredible. Clinton was a terrible candidate, no doubt, but for someone to think Trump is a better PotUS is breathtaking.
I am not sure about age limits so i am on the fence there, but can see why it could be needed . , but term limits , that is something i could get behind . politics was never really meant to be a career or profession in a representative republic . But I have my own thoughts on that as well.
You voted for Trump AFTER he tried to steal the presidency in 2020 with coercion, lying, fraud, and incitement??? That is not the only wrongdoing, but it alone should disqualify him from consideration.
Hillary Clinton has a terrible governing philosophy that places global interests above those of the United States. That was evident in the TPP Clinton help craft as Secretary of State. As the nation's lead diplomat, Hillary Clinton spent much of her tenure addressing global minority social issues rather than the geopolitics of national relations. Hillary Clinton's views were often dismissive of our national sovereignty and national charter.
What was the alternative? Kamala Harris? Joe Biden was not good for the United States. Why should I have believed Harris would have been different?
Yes!
She would have been quite different from Trump in a positive way. Trump is arguably the worst PotUS in our history. How can you not see this??
Well, duh. That's the point isn't it? Of course Harris would have been different than Trump. But I was required to choose who I thought would do the least damage. There wasn't anyone in the 2016 or 2020 or 2024 election to vote 'for'. Those three elections were vote 'against' election.
If you haven't been paying attention, I do not heap praise on Trump.
You dishonestly ignored "in a positive way".
Yeah, Nerm, that is a valid way to look at it. So do you not recognize the damage Trump has done?? Good grief man, what must this madman do before you recognize that no PotUS has done more damage to this nation than Trump?
I see no dishonesty there , nor was it ignored I believe , i do see a disagreement that it would have been a positive difference , but that is left to personal opinion which people are able to say and have .
The first requirement for a president should be fitness for public service. There has never been anyone more unfit than Trump. Picking a random name out of a phone book would have yielded a better president.
The damage being done to the society and Americans toleration for other viewpoints is incalculable. Hillary Clinton said some of Trumps 2016 supporters were "deplorable" and she never heard the end of it. Trump says something as bad or worse every day. But we are supposed to be accustomed to that. Bullshit.
Kamala Harris advocated for post-national and globalist political tenets.
Our Constitution is an obstacle to post-national and post-colonial transformation of the United States. National citizenship does not conform to the tenets of global citizenship. Harris was elevating residency in the US to the same level as citizenship. Harris was advocating US priorities to address the issues of global social minorities, just as Hillary Clinton did. The progressive effort to redistribute wealth within the US would be globalized to redistribute wealth around the world.
Harris was not a positive for the US. She would have been great for the Global South.
I did not vote for Trump in 2016. Trump's policies during the first term were moving in a direction I agreed with although I didn't accept the means. Trump has broken his promises during the 2nd term. I did not vote for Trump becoming a TEA Party neoconservative. Or a crazed nihilist.
Voting for Trump in 2016 provided no history other than his dishonest business practices and incompetence. In 2024, after trying to steal the 2020 election, voting for that traitor was irresponsible.