Nancy Pelosi's enigmatic golf clap at Trump was at least as memorable as Trump's State of the Union speech
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, this photo of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi clapping at President Trump may well be remembered more than any of the 5,000+ words Trump spoke in Tuesday's State of the Union address. Pelosi was ... applauding? ... this aspirational line from Trump: "We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution, and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good."
Is Pelosi embracing the idea of Trump's words while ridiculing him for being the one to deliver them? Is she golf-clapping? Was it just an odd camera angle?
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
There were theories. Comedian Patton Oswalt congratulated Pelosi for "inventing the 'f--k you' clap." Frequent tweeter Dr. Eugene Gu suggested that Pelosi "dog walked Trump with a single clap. This is her house, and Trump is an undocumented guest." And Slate's Christina Cauterucci captioned the photo: "Nancy Pelosi distracts out-of-control toddler with rendition of 'Baby Shark.'" Time's Molly Ball found the Baby Shark theme fitting:
Do-doo-do-do-do-do do-doo.
