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Photos Reveal Trump Using A ‘Cheat Card’ For White House Event

The hypocrisy was literally in hand

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555 points

Trump had two things going on in the Oval Office Monday, a genuine tribute to a teenager, and an index card telling him how to deliver it.

Ryder Williams, 16, and Nathaniel Rai, 10, were the reason for the visit. Williams had pulled Nathaniel from a rip current at a Santa Cruz beach in July, and Trump handed him a signed certificate, calling him a “young American hero.”

The praise sounded sincere. “We’re honored to have all of you. And again, what you did was incredible,” Trump said. “And everybody saw it. And you’d watch it over and over. I know when I first saw it, I said, ‘Roll that back, I want to see that again. Is that really happening?'”

A close-up photo from the meeting caught what he was holding the whole time. It was a curled card with photos of both boys, a few lines of background on each, and his own schedule for the visit, right down to “1:15 p.m. Photo Opportunity” and “1:30 p.m. POTUS concludes.”

Trump’s own team spent years turning this exact prop into a punchline when Biden used one.

Stephen Miller, then a senior Trump advisor, criticized Biden after a March 2021 press conference where he was photographed with a card listing which reporters to call on. “It was not very reassuring today that Biden relied so heavily on generic notes from staff to discuss the growing threat from China,” Miller told Newsweek.

Trump himself described that same press conference as “very sad” and “ridiculous” in a Fox News interview.

Candace Owens took it further on X. “Joe Biden had a cheat sheet with the names and faces marked of which journalists to call on, and he knew EXACTLY what questions would be asked of him. That was not a press conference—that was a play put on by bad faith actors in a pseudo-democracy.”

A year later, Biden’s card got even more specific, reportedly instructing him “YOU take YOUR seat” and “YOU depart.”

Sean Hannity responded with “HOLY SHEET! Biden’s Presidential Cheat Sheet Leaks Online, Reminds Him to Sit Down.” Benny Johnson added his own read, writing that “next time someone tries to tell you Joe Biden isn’t a geriatric nursing home patient trapped in the White House, show them this. He needs a notecard with step by step directions telling him what to do, including ‘YOU take YOUR seat.'”

The White House doesn’t think the comparison holds up this time.

Asked about it, a spokesperson pushed back on equating “Joe Biden using cheat sheets with hand-picked reporters and their presubmitted questions with President Trump using a notecard to know the biographies of his Oval Office guests.”

That same visit produced something else entirely that got just as much attention.

Trump turned from the boys mid-interview to confront CNN’s Kristen Holmes, telling her, “You’re very disrespectful in front of this young man, okay?” Then he turned to Williams directly. “Don’t you find her disrespectful?” Williams didn’t say anything. Trump kept going, calling Holmes “a loud, boisterous person” and “a fake reporter” who “report[s] fake news.”

Featured image via X screengrab

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Terry Lawson

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Terry is an editor and political writer based in Alabama. Over the last five years, he’s worked behind the scenes as a ghostwriter for a range of companies, helping shape voices and tell stories that connect. Now at Political Tribune, he writes sharp political pieces and edits with a close eye on clarity and tone. Terry’s work is driven by strong storytelling, attention to detail, and a clear sense of purpose. He’s skilled in writing, editing, and project management — and always focused on getting the message right. You can find him on X at https://x.com/TerryNotTrump.

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