Analysts React to Lengthy Trump Ovation After EPA Speech
Key Takeaways
- •Trump unveiled his “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” during an appearance at the Environmental Protection Agency.
- •Sam Stein and Ben Parker focused their commentary on the prolonged applause that followed Trump’s exit from the event.
- •The ovation shown on Bulwark Takes lasted at least 30 seconds and continued for about a minute before Stein stopped the clip.
- •Parker compared the scene to displays associated with Stalinist Soviet Union and Castro’s Cuba.
- •Stein also referenced a 2018 incident involving Mike Pence and a water bottle during Trump’s first administration.
Political analysts Sam Stein and Ben Parker laughed as they reviewed what they described as an awkward ending to a President Donald Trump speech at the Environmental Protection Agency, using the moment to comment on the staging and tone of the event rather than the policy announcement itself.
During an episode of Bulwark Takes, Stein and Parker discussed Trump’s appearance earlier in the day, when he unveiled his “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” at the EPA. Their focus turned in particular to the way the event concluded.
“Portions were about [ratepayers], and then some of it was about like Shohei Ohtani,” Stein said. “It was all over. It was classically Trump. A little bit of Iran sprinkled in there and all this stuff.”
Stein then shifted attention to Trump’s exit from the event. As the president left, attendees gave him a prolonged standing ovation.
“We have like a very Kim Jong Un scene here where the clapping just does not stop,” Stein said before playing what he called “the whole uncomfortable minute of clapping.”
The clip shown on the program featured at least 30 seconds of sustained applause, which Stein said “just keeps going.” The ovation appeared to fade slightly after that point, but it continued rather than ending.
“Oh, we’re still going,” Stein joked as the clip played. “Again, keep going.”
The exchange fit into a broader genre of political commentary that scrutinizes not only what presidents say at official events, but also how staff, attendees, and allies respond in highly choreographed settings. In this case, Stein and Parker treated the extended applause as an example of the public performance surrounding Trump’s appearances.
The applause lasted for about a full minute before Stein cut away from the video. Parker then joked, “Were they expecting Shohei Ohtani to come out? Is that what they thought?” He was referring to the star baseball player, who appeared at the White House later that day.
“That is the kind of thing you hear about happening in like Stalinist Soviet Union, and Castro’s Cuba,” Parker said.
Stein also compared the moment to a 2018 episode during Trump’s first administration, when former Vice President Mike Pence appeared to hide his water bottle after Trump had just done the same.
“That was such a great moment,” Stein recalled.