The following is an exhaustive list of rules for watching a solar eclipse. Please stay with me, because it is both complex and important:
- Do not stare directly into the eclipse.
- Refer to rule 1.
Unfortunately, the President of the United States was unable to follow these clear guidelines for enjoying the great conjunction of the spheres. Yes, Trump stared directly into the eclipse, possibly because he saw earlier on CNN that it was a bad idea.
Donald, first lady Melania and young Barron stood on the White House balcony to watch the first solar eclipse to sweep the United States from coast to coast in nearly a century. And Donny did it without glasses.
The Hill reported on the absolute scenes on the balcony:
Trump took off the glasses momentarily, gestured to a large crowd of aides standing below on the South Lawn, looked up and pointed to the sky. One of the staffers shouted “don’t look.”
A couple of minutes later, Trump, with his glasses back on, turned his head upward and watched the eclipse for around a minute and a half as the eclipse reached its apex.
And I assure you: the photo of Trump and family watching the eclipse from behind the safety of their glasses is no less funny.
As you might expect, the internet enjoyed Trump’s courage to stare into the blinding light of syzygy despite all scientific advice otherwise.
another victory for the alpha president– with one photo, he has exposed the non-retinal-damaged media as the elitists they are pic.twitter.com/fLy23cjetq
— The Discourse Lover (@Trillburne) August 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/sam_kriss/status/899727338065330179
“President Donald Trump looked directly at a solar eclipse today” is objectively the stupidest sentence of all time
— 65 yr old musk reply guy with acute lead poisoning (@boring_as_heck) August 21, 2017
TRUMP: So I can just look right at the eclipse right?
NASA: you know what? sure. pic.twitter.com/rxwy2CNMqq— Chris “laserdisc” Person (@Papapishu) August 21, 2017
AIDE: You need to wear eclipse glasses.
TRUMP: Did Obama wear them?
AIDE: Yes – it’s a safety issue.
TRUMP: Then it’s settled. No glasses. pic.twitter.com/gXQrDat96l— Numbersmuncher (lol I’m not paying $8 for a check) (@NumbersMuncher) August 21, 2017
You do you, Donald.
