Eagle-eyed observers believe they have spotted an odd detail in Donald Trump's suit, reigniting a long-running theory about his public image strategy.
The US president celebrated his 80th birthday with an UFC cage match staged on the White House’s South Lawn.
The mixed martial arts (MMA) event was reportedly attended by 4,300 guests and featured fireworks, a large structure known as The Claw, and appearances by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Paramount’s David Ellison.
Highlights
- Trump's pictures with boxer Jai Opetaia at the White House's UFC event have fueled a theory about the president's suits.
- The boxer put his arm on Trump's shoulder in a post captioned, “Me and uncle Don.”
- Today, the FBI revealed it had disrupted a plot involving drones and explosives targeting the UFC event.
Image credits: White House
But what caught the attention of many social media users were two photos of Trump with Australian-Samoan boxer Jai Opetaia.
One photo, taken during the Sunday (June 14) celebration, shows Trump firmly shaking the boxer’s hand, while the other shows the president smiling.
The boxer shared the photos on Instagram with the caption, “Me and uncle Don.”
Image credits: White House
In both images, Opetaia’s left hand rests on Trump’s shoulder, drawing attention to what some people believe are shoulder pads inside the president's jacket.
A few users took notice of the detail in the commander in chief’s suit, with one writing, “Pressing so hard on his fake shoulders. You made him look weak.”
“Did you pose like that intentionally to show how weak and fake his shoulders are?” another comment read.
Image credits: Jai Opetaia
Image credits: Jai Opetaia
Someone else suggested that the 80-year-old president may wear jackets with shoulder pads to make him appear stronger and healthier than he is.
The comments echo past remarks people have made about Trump allegedly wearing shoulder pads.
“Why is Trump wearing '80s-sized women's shoulder pads? He looks ridiculous,” one viewer wrote in response to a video of him in the Oval Office.
The conversation surrounding the president's suits is not new
The Sunday event, the first-ever professional sporting event held at the White House, also served to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence.
The celebration featured a fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje that left copious blood on the cage floor, the Associated Press reported.
Trump later headed inside the cage to shake hands with the fighters before watching a fireworks display that began after 1 a.m.
The UFC reportedly spent about $60 million on the event, including $700,000 for grass repairs on the South Lawn, which hosts the annual Easter Egg Roll.
Despite the carefree atmosphere, the high-profile event was also the focus of a major security operation.
On Tuesday (June 16), law enforcement officials announced that they had disrupted a planned attack targeting politicians at the cage-fighting show.
Image credits: White House
The FBI obtained encrypted messages between roughly 20 participants who shared detailed maps of the area and discussed a "safe house" as well as escape routes they would use after the attack.
“Thanks to the rapid action of the FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X.
Among those arrested was Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old from Ohio whose mother had contacted local law enforcement about his firearms purchases and online communications.
Image credits: White House
Proper had reportedly organized the attack and arranged a meeting point for the group in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The plan reportedly called for the use of drones carrying explosives, which would be detonated over the north side of the White House, prompting an evacuation into an area where snipers would be waiting to fire at guests.
After the event, Trump revealed he had not been briefed on the FBI operation to thwart the attack.
Image credits: White House
The president was joined by First Lady Melania Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr. and his new wife Bettina Trump, Eric Trump and Lara Trump, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, and Tiffany Trump with her husband Michael Boulos.
Barron Trump, the president’s youngest son, was pictured watching the show from behind his parents.
Several of the president’s grandchildren also attended the MMA event, including Kai Trump.
The conversation surrounding Trump’s alleged attempt to appear stronger comes after the president’s physician said he has been experiencing “lower leg swelling” as well as “benign” hand bruising.
Image credits: White House
In a memo released by the White House last month, Dr. Sean Barbabella stated that Trump “remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall physical function.”
The memo further asserted that the president is “fully fit” to carry out all presidential duties.
Barbabella said Trump’s hand bruising is “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking in the setting of aspirin use for cardiovascular prevention.”
Trump, the oldest person ever to be sworn in as US president, reportedly made four visits to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center since the beginning of his second term.
The president has also insisted that he is in great health, both physically and mentally.