Donald Trump received prolonged applause at an Environmental Protection Agency event on Thursday, sparking online criticism and comparisons to authoritarian displays.
During an event to unveil the Ratepayer Protection Pledge for artificial intelligence data centers, Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA” played as Trump arrived. After greeting attendees onstage, Trump stood by his seat while applause continued for over 70 seconds until the song concluded. He then sat down.
Later in the event, as Trump departed the stage, he was met with another extended ovation lasting nearly a minute, this time without musical accompaniment. Critics on social media platform X drew parallels between the lengthy ovations and scenes associated with North Korea and authoritarian leaders.