Lip reading is a fantastic skill. It takes years of practice and patience to understand what people are saying just by watching their mouths. Some people are so skilled at lip-reading that they can catch conversations even when the speakers are far away. One of these skilled lip-readers is Jackie Gonzalez. She recently went viral for her lip-reading of a conversation between former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush during Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
According to Jackie Gonzalez, Obama and Bush shared a quiet moment during Trump’s second inauguration. Jackie, a skilled lip-reader, believes Obama leaned over to Bush and said, “How can we stop what’s happening?”
Deaf lip reader Jackie G suggests Barack Obama asked George Bush how they could “stop what’s happening” at Trump’s inauguration.
“How do we stop what’s happening.”pic.twitter.com/dYr1nhCzNh
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 20, 2025
This caught the attention of many online, sparking curiosity about what Obama meant. Was he commenting on Trump’s second term, or was it about something else?
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Jackie’s video went viral, gaining over 70,000 likes and 2,000 comments. Some people thought Obama’s words were just a lighthearted joke between former presidents, while others wondered if he expressed concern about Trump’s leadership. Obama has criticized Trump in the past, calling him a threat to democracy, which added fuel to the debate. People asked, “Is Obama worried about Trump’s presidency?”
However, lip-reading is not always 100% accurate. Jackie herself mentioned that her interpretations might not be perfect. She even added a disclaimer saying lip-reading is “not a reliable form of communication.” Still, many people were drawn to her video, which made them think about the relationship between Obama, Bush, and Trump. What do former presidents think about Trump’s leadership? Why does this moment seem so important?
One commenter on the video joked, “If only they had a split screen on them the entire time,” referring to the fact that viewers wanted to see more of the conversation between Obama and Bush. This shows how curious people were about what Obama and Bush were thinking. Could it be that more interesting things were happening behind the scenes during the inauguration?
These small moments always grab attention because they show us how leaders might feel in private, away from the public eye. Maybe that’s why we care so much about these exchanges—they show that leaders still have thoughts and opinions people want to hear even after leaving office.
Obama attended Trump’s second inauguration alone, which sparked rumors about his marriage to Michelle Obama. Some even wondered if they were getting a divorce, but these were just rumors. George W. Bush has mostly stayed quiet about Trump, but he has occasionally disagreed with some of Trump’s views.
So, what do you think? Was Obama seriously concerned about Trump’s presidency, or was it just a joke?
Featured image via Screengrab
