Did you catch that video of Donald Trump trying to say Tua Tagovailoa‘s name? It was cringeworthy, to say the least. I mean, we’ve all struggled with pronouncing someone’s name before, but this was next level. He kept stumbling over it and the clip is now viral!
I don’t know about you, but it’s always amusing to see politicians or celebrities try to pronounce names they’re not familiar with. It’s like a little game of verbal gymnastics. And let’s be real, we’ve all been there at some point.
The president, 79, hosted multiple professional athletes, including golfer Bryson DeChambeau and Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, at the White House Thursday for an executive order signing that will reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test.
Trump unveiled a number of sporting stars who will form a newly-created council of professional athletes to help with the reinstatement of the test, including Tagovailoa as well as Super Bowl winner Saquon Barkley.
However, he hit a stumbling block when he came to praise the Dolphins passer during his address as he tripped up over his last name, which is pronounced ‘Tun-go-val-oa.’
The Commander-in-Chief sounded out the last name of the signal caller, who is of Samoan descent, before butchering it anyway and pronouncing it ‘Ta-go-valiah.’
‘ Tua… Tag-o-valiah, the quarterback who has really been fantastic,’ Trump said. ‘When he’s not injured, he’s great. He’s got to stay healthy. But he’s a great guy.’
The president was referring to Tagovailoa’s lengthy spells on the sidelines over the past fews seasons through concussion scares.
If you haven’t seen the video yet, do yourself a favor and watch it below. It’s a good laugh, and a reminder that even the most powerful people in the world are just like us when it comes to tongue twisters.
Flip to the next page to watch the video…
