Trump is adamant that world leaders were laughing with him at the U.N., not at him

(Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

last updated 27 September 2018

Although he appeared to be serious while delivering his speech at the United Nations on Tuesday, President Trump said on Wednesday he actually wanted world leaders to laugh during his remarks about how fantastic his presidency has been so far.

When Trump, with a straight face and not even the hint of a giggle, declared that his White House "has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country," laughter began to bubble up from the crowd. "I didn't expect that reaction, but that's okay," he responded, which elicited more chuckles. During a press conference the next day, Trump told reporters: "They weren't laughing at me. They were laughing with me."

The world leaders "respect" the president and were having "a good time with me," Trump continued, and anyone who says otherwise is just peddling "fake news." The most important takeaway from all of this isn't that Trump should consider making the switch to stand-up, but that he can hear expressions. "I said our country is now stronger than ever before, it's true," Trump said. "And I heard a little rustle and I said, 'It's true,' and I heard smiles."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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