President Donald Trump's Oval Office briefing on Thursday was overshadowed by an unexpected viral sensation: a man with a prominent belly button standing behind him. The unidentified individual, whose protruding navel was visible through his striped shirt, became the focus of social media users during the press session.
The briefing came after Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to ease a Biden-era rule requiring US businesses to reduce greenhouse gases used in cooling equipment. Trump also addressed other topics, including his demand for $1 billion to fund parts of the White House ballroom, a project he insisted was on time and on budget.
However, online attention quickly shifted to the man's belly button. Social media users shared screenshots and made jokes, with comments ranging from 'the only thing more outrageous than Trump here is the bulging belly button' to 'can someone please move Bellybutton Man out of frame'. One user quipped, 'You're gonna put out an eye with that bellybutton.'
During the session, Trump denied losing grip on the Republican Senate majority, as senators prepared to advance a border security funding bill excluding his ballroom demand. 'I don't need money for the ballroom,' he said, calling the idea 'the biggest misreporting I've ever seen'. He claimed the project was being done in conjunction with the military and Secret Service.
