Legendary TV actor Henry Winkler wondered what Donald Trump was doing with a water bottle during a recent panel appearance.
The former president appeared at an event hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), where he answered questions on stage Wednesday in Chicago. Trump said he wanted the question-and-answer session to focus on “the most pressing issues facing the black community.”
He sat in a chair alongside the conference’s hosts, ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner and Semafor reporter Kadia Goba. Each of the participants on stage had a small table to their right, on which sat a glass and a small plastic water bottle. In a video posted to X, Trump appears to take Scott’s water bottle and unscrew the cap.
“Why did Trump grab her water bottle and squeeze it? See that?” posted user Alex Cole on X.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Winkler reposted the video and asked, “Does anyone know (sic)?”
Responses to Winkler’s question have varied, with some saying Trump was helping Scott open the bottle, others suggesting he picked it up by mistake, and some even suggesting it was a “power grab.”
“Because he’s a weirdo. 🤷🏻♀️” replied @raintree007.
Another person, @jonvirtes, added: “I remember reading somewhere that he had an OCD problem with water bottles around him. It drove the Apprentice crew crazy. They would cut, he would move everything around and there would be no continuity in the shots. I don’t want to excuse him at all. It’s an incredibly rude thing to do.”
“Taking the water bottle was a conscious or unconscious act to assert some dominance. But then he realized he couldn’t open the bottle and gave up very quickly, probably to save himself further embarrassment,” wrote @hillaryhutton.
And @nadinegness commented: “That was his own bottle. You can see him drinking from it earlier. Wow, you’re going strong.”
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, criticized the event for allegedly starting late and opening with a “rude” question.
It all came to an abrupt end when Faulkner tried to question the former president about Project 2025, a controversial policy platform written by a conservative think tank that outlines proposals for a future Republican administration. Trump has already distanced himself from the 900-page document.
As Faulkner began speaking, Scott said the panel was expected to conclude under the leadership of Trump’s team.
Black journalists had mixed reactions to Trump’s appearance, including NABJ conference co-chair Karen Attiah, who resigned from her position just hours before the panel.
She said on social media that a “variety” of factors influenced her decision and that she was not consulted about giving Trump a “platform” at the convention.
Uncommon knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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