President Donald Trump made a high-profile appearance at the NCAA wrestling finals in Philadelphia on Saturday, but one particular moment from the event is making waves online. As he arrived at the Wells Fargo Center, a video posted to X captured what seemed to be a handshake snub—Trump passed over White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, greeting others in his administration but appearing to overlook her.
The footage shows Trump shaking hands with prominent figures, including Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick and U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan. Also accompanying him at the event were White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Elon Musk, who currently serves as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. However, when he reached Leavitt in the lineup, he appeared to move on without acknowledging her.
Whatever is being said on the internet, Karoline did not take the snub to heart. She even posted an image of Trump on her official page with the caption: “Coolest. President. Ever.” Some people on the internet argued that Karoline Leavitt accompanied Trump to the event and thus he did not greet her as he did with others he met at the event.
The alleged handshake snub comes at a challenging time for Karoline Leavitt, who recently faced criticism over a misstep during a White House press briefing. While defending Trump’s plan to deport migrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, she wrongly claimed that federal Judge James Boasberg—who temporarily blocked the plan—was an Obama appointee and a Democratic activist. NBC reporter Garrett Haake corrected her, noting that Boasberg was actually appointed by George W. Bush. Despite the fact-check, Leavitt doubled down on her argument, drawing scrutiny over her accuracy.
The significance of Trump’s visit
Trump’s visit to Philadelphia marked his first trip back to Pennsylvania since securing the state in the contentious 2024 election. He arrived to loud chants of “USA” from the crowd, reinforcing his continued popularity among supporters. The president had spent the night prior at his hotel in New Jersey before heading to the sporting event.
People appreciated Trump’s presence at the event. In the various photos and videos posted, netizens commended the President for spending time with the people. One user said, “This President is everywhere! It’s so refreshing to have a president in office who speaks to the press daily and meets with the people he represents on a consistent basis!” A second said, “The People’s President. It’s undeniable”
Speaking to reporters before his departure from the White House on Friday evening, Trump expressed his enthusiasm for attending the tournament. “We’re going to the big fight. The reason I’m going is in Philadelphia. They have the NCAA, world, wrestling for college. And I’ve always supported the wrestlers,” he said. “I want to support them. These are the great college wrestlers from the various schools.”
