Donald Trump’s ‘Gross’ Answer To National Guard Member Funeral Question Draws Fury Online (Video)
People on social media accused the president of acting like everything always has to revolve around him, even in moments that should be about someone else’s loss and grief. Many felt that instead of showing compassion or respect, he used the situation to talk about himself.
Donald Trump was facing renewed claims of narcissism after being asked a simple, serious question about the funeral of Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old National Guard member who was killed after an attack in Washington, D.C. Rather than giving a clear or heartfelt answer, he said he hadn’t really thought about attending her funeral, though he said it was “something he could imagine doing.” Instead of offering condolences or speaking about her service, he changed the subject almost immediately.
He began talking about West Virginia, Beckstrom’s home state, and then quickly shifted to bragging about his past election victory there. He pointed out how big his win had been, saying it was one of the largest margins any president had ever achieved. He repeated how much he loved the people of West Virginia and the country, but still didn’t give a meaningful answer about whether he would attend the young soldier’s funeral. To many people, it felt like he was trying to turn a tragic moment into another chance to talk about himself and his political success.
Online, people reacted strongly. Some said he showed absolutely no empathy and that his response felt cold and self-centered. Others said they were disturbed by how naturally he drifted back to talking about himself, almost as if he couldn’t help it. A few mentioned that this wasn’t the first time he had answered a question about a funeral in a strange or inappropriate way, recalling that he did the same thing when asked about Charlie Kirk’s funeral, going off on unrelated topics instead of giving a direct or respectful response.
Many commenters said they wished he could have taken even a brief moment to simply acknowledge the loss of a young woman who served her country, rather than turning the conversation back to his own achievements. Some wondered why he felt the need to bring up election results at all in a situation that called for sensitivity. Others said that after so many years in public life, it was astonishing that he still struggled to say something kind or appropriate when someone had died.
Overall, the reaction online was a mix of frustration, disbelief, and sadness. People felt that a moment that should have been about honoring someone’s life and offering comfort instead became another example of Trump focusing on himself, and that this pattern made his response feel jarring and disrespectful.
