NEWS

Former President Trump stared directly at sun during 2017 total solar eclipse. Don't try it

Marina Johnson
Indianapolis Star
President Trump looks up toward the Solar Eclipse while standing with his wife first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron, on the Truman Balcony at the White House on August 21, 2017 in Washington, D.C.

The 2024 total solar eclipse, slated for April 8, is just days away, and there are plenty of precautions to take to ensure a safe and fun viewing experience.

According to NASA, it's recommended to view the partial phases of an eclipse through eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer, and only remove them for the few minutes of totality to avoid serious eye injury.

Yet, 2017 photos of former President Donald Trump show him staring directly into the sun. This is exactly what not to do, folks.

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According to NASA, a total solar eclipse took place on Aug. 21, 2017, visible, at least in partiality, across the U.S. During the event, USA TODAY reported that Trump watched from the Truman Balcony at the White House with his wife, and former first lady, Melania Trump, and their son, Barron Trump. During the celestial event, he was spotted looking upwards at the sky, without any eclipse glasses.

'This photo never gets old'

With the upcoming April 8 total solar eclipse, mentions of Trump staring at the eclipse are circulating on social media. X user @kellyscaletta posted a poll on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, saying "Will Donald Trump stare directly into the eclipse again?"

A post on X on March 30 from @DonaldJTrumpJr read "Joe Biden is the only presidential candidate that can hide his own Easter eggs." X user @Nostradonny replied with a gif and the caption "Donald Trump is the only president who stared up into an eclipse."

The same image was also posted on Reddit earlier in 2024, with over 1,000 comments. Comments included:

  • "lol! Melanie’s face 'Keep staring idiot, maybe it’ll blind you!'"
  • "This photo never gets old."
  • "Trump's eyes are naturally protected with 75 layers of spray tan."
President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania and son Barron look up at the partial solar eclipse from the balcony of the White House in Washington, D.C, on Aug. 21, 2017.
Then-U.S. President Donald Trump looks up toward the solar eclipse without wearing protective glasses, while joined by his wife first lady Melania Trump on the Truman Balcony at the White House on Aug. 21, 2017 in Washington, DC.

April 8 total solar eclipse viewing tips

As reported by NASA, there are plenty of ways to stay safe while watching the eclipse. These include:

  • Use eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer to view the sun during partial eclipse phases before and after totality.
  • During the totality period, when no part of the sun is visible through the eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer, individuals can view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection.
  • Once the sun reappears, place eclipse glasses back on or use the handheld solar viewer to continue watching.
  • Avoid using glasses or handheld viewers with binoculars, telescopes or cameras unless they have the proper solar filters.
  • If planning to watch an entire eclipse, wear sunscreen, a hat and protective clothing to avoid skin damage.