Clips of U.S. presidents struggling with umbrellas have started making the rounds online again, with a compilation video drawing attention across social media platforms.
The resurfaced footage shows multiple leaders in similar situations, turning what seems like a small moment into a wider conversation.
As the clips circulated, viewers began pointing out a pattern, questioning why something so simple keeps recurring as an issue for some of the world's most powerful figures.
Highlights
- Resurfaced footage of various U.S. Presidents, including Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama, fumbling with or abandoning umbrellas has sparked a new wave of social media debate.
- Online observers suggested the "struggle" is often a result of strict security protocols.
- The clips also brought back memories of past controversies, such as when Barack Obama requested Marines to hold umbrella.
Viral clips showed multiple presidents struggling with umbrellas in similar situations
Image credits: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The video, shared widely on X, features moments involving Donald Trump and Joe Biden, each dealing with umbrellas during public appearances.
One of the most talked-about clips showed Trump walking toward Air Force One in heavy rain, appearing to struggle with closing his umbrella before handing it off to an aide. Similar moments from 2018 and 2025 also resurfaced, where he either fumbled with it or left it behind.
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Biden was also seen in a 2023 clip during his visit to Japan, where he briefly struggled to handle his umbrella before others stepped in to assist him.
Meanwhile, Barack Obama’s moment came from a 2013 press conference, where he asked Marines to hold umbrellas over him and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as it began to rain.
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While each incident happened at different times, the compilation brought them together, making the pattern more noticeable to viewers.
As the clips went viral, some users shared a simple explanation suggesting it’s more about logistics than inability
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Some users pointed out that these moments may not be as unusual as they seem.
According to explanations shared online, presidents are almost always surrounded by aides and security personnel, meaning they are rarely expected to handle small logistical tasks themselves.
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When boarding aircraft like Air Force One, passengers often move quickly, and stopping to close a wet umbrella can be inconvenient, especially when staff is right behind them to take over.
There are also security considerations. The top of aircraft stairs is seen as a vulnerable position, and pausing there for too long could increase risk.
In other cases, it comes down to practicality. Large umbrellas can be awkward to fold quickly, particularly in strong wind or rain, making it easier to pass them off.
The resurfaced moments of presidents sparked online reactions ranging from jokes to criticism
Image credits: SkyNews
As expected, the resurfaced clips quickly sparked reactions across social media.
“Why is closing umbrellas not a presidential skill?” one user wrote.
Others turned the moment into humor. “They can't even close an umbrella, how can they close wars?” one comment read, while another added, “Both are too old to know how to operate an umbrella.”
Image credits: SkyNews
Some questioned the optics more seriously. “Why can't the president do what an ordinary person does on a regular basis?” one user asked.
At the same time, others offered more practical explanations.
“Usually someone is there to grab it,” one person wrote.
“Probably protocol. The top of the stairs is a vulnerable spot,” another added.
“Closing it would splash water on their suits and might leave marks,” one user pointed out, while another said, “Just guessing here, but standing to close an umbrella leaves them exposed.”
Similar moments have been discussed before, including Obama’s Marine incident
Among the clips, Obama’s 2013 moment stood out for a different reason. During a Rose Garden press conference, he asked Marines to hold umbrellas as rain began to fall.
“I’ve got a change of suits, but I don’t know about our prime minister,” Obama said at the time.
The move drew criticism, as Marines are generally not permitted to hold umbrellas while in uniform unless directed. A Marine spokesperson later described such situations as “extremely rare” to CNN.
"They can't even close the umbrellas," wrote one user
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