Donald Trump was caught dropping the f-bomb over an ink stain before his coronavirus address to the nation.
The US president announced a dramatic ban for European travellers to the US, except the UK, while broadcasting live from the White House yesterday.
Footage has emerged of the billionaire before he went on air, where he apparently notices a black ink stain on his shirt.
Off camera, he’s heard to say: “Oh what? Oh f . Uh oh, I got a pen mark. Anybody, anybody have any white … anybody have any white stuff? “
Trump is caught on a hot mic panicking about an ink stain moments before his Oval Office coronavirus address (Image: C-Span) Someone is heard telling him “you can’t see it” to which the president replies “where is it?”.
When he’s told the broadcast team is ready for a mic check, he asks “Do you see it? Which side is it?”
In response he’s told “on the right side “, presumably not intended as a reference to his politics.
As the camera switches on, Trump looks around the room, lets out a lengthy” Okay “and breathes deeply out.
Trump addresses the Nation from the Oval Office about the widening coronavirus (Image: POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
The address that followed took Europeans by surprise, with Trump facing criticism for the apparent lack of consultation.
“The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to improve a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Council president Charles Michel said in a statement.
The ban will last 436 days and go into effect at midnight on Friday.
It applies to foreign nationals who have been in the Schengen Area, countries in Europe, in the last 90 days.
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Coronavirus prevention
The Schengen Area countries comprise: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia , Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
President Trump said one of the reasons the UK was not included in the travel ban was the ‘strength of its borders’.
He said: “It has got very strong borders and they are doing a very good job.
“They don’t have very much infection at this point and hopefully they will keep it that way.”
That’s despite domestic concerns that Boris Johnson’s government isn’t doing enough to tackle the pandemic.
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