Crane operator caught napping while Donald Trump poses at flagpole ceremony. Watch

The ceremony marked the installation of two flagpoles at White House, with Donald Trump present and posing for photos alongside workers.

Published on: Jun 19, 2025, 14:27:22 IST

Written by Anagha Deshpande

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A video from an event at the White House has gone viral after it showed a crane operator appearing to nap inside his machine, all while US President Donald Trump unveiled two towering new flagpoles on the North and South Lawns.

Unaware of the situation behind him, Donald Trump continued chatting with workers and admiring the structures. (X/@_johnnymaga)

The ceremony, held Wednesday morning, marked the installation of the giant flagpoles, with Trump present and posing for photos alongside workers.

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Watch the video here:

The moment, meant to spotlight patriotic symbolism, took an unexpectedly humorous turn when social media users noticed the crane operator reclining in his seat with eyes shut, seemingly asleep as the former president spoke nearby.

Unaware of the situation behind him, Trump continued chatting with workers and admiring the structures. “It’s such a beautiful pole,” he said according to a report by Irish Star. “These are the best poles anywhere in the country or in the world,” he added, in typical Trump fashion.

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How did X users react?

The internet, however, zeroed in on the crane operator. Some users were quick to defend him.

“To be fair, some of those guys have to sit there for hours waiting for a move. I don’t blame him,” one user posted on X. Another chimed in, “That’s just a crane operator doing crane operator stuff lol. They all catch a nap when they can.”

Others suggested a more generous interpretation. “Did anyone think for a second that he’s possibly looking up through the glass ceiling of the cab at the newly hoisted flag and admiring it?” one user asked, noting that crane operators often work in reclined positions to monitor overhead activity.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anagha Deshpande
Anagha Deshpande is Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. She is currently part of the news team. Before moving into this role, she worked with the Bengaluru desk, where she extensively covered civic issues, Karnataka politics, infrastructure, and urban governance. Over the past seven years, Anagha has worked across multiple facets of digital journalism, including reporting, editing, and video production. She briefly stepped away from journalism, only to realize that the newsroom is where she has the most fun. Her interests lie in tracking national and state politics, particularly South Indian politics, as well as social issues and public policy. She has previously worked with Deccan Herald, Mid-day, The Federal, and ThePrint, and has lived and worked in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai. When she isn't chasing stories, Anagha enjoys long aimless walks, reading, hiking, discovering new teas, and, by her own admission, overthinking almost everything.Read More

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