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Ahead of the upcoming United States, Presidential election, President Joe Biden has stirred up some controversy when he was spotted wearing a red cap belonging to the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump.
At an event marking the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Biden was spotted wearing the Make America Great Again (MAGA) cap.
On Wednesday, while visiting firefighters in Pennsylvania near where one of the four hijacked planes crashed, videos captured the president engaging in a friendly conversation with a Trump supporter. They then exchanged headgear.
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In the video, Biden gives a Trump supporter wearing a campaign cap a hat with the presidential seal on it, and mentions that he will sign it.
The man then asks Biden if he would sign it with his name on it.
Responding jocularly, Biden said “I don’t remember my name, I’m slow.”
After an exchange about his age, Biden hands the man the autographed cap and offers to trade it for the Trump hat, which he wore briefly, drawing cheers from the crowd.
The action immediately drew comments from social media users, with Trump’s campaign thanking Biden for the “support”.
But, a statement issued by the White House said Biden’s gesture was a way to underline the unity theme of the day.
The deputy White House Press Secretary, Andrew Bates mentioned, “He presented a hat to a Trump supporter, who subsequently suggested that, in a similar manner, POTUS should wear his Trump cap.”
Biden, 81, who was replaced by Harris on the Democratic ticket after withdrawing from the race in July, has repeatedly characterised Trump as an existential threat to US democracy.
Several commenters noted that the episode came the day after a prime-time televised presidential debate between Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, in which the Republican told his opponent, “Biden hates you.”
According to impartial observers, Trump’s performance was perceived as subpar, characterized by defensiveness, lack of preparation, and fixation on past events and personal grievances.
