"Not beating the allegations" — Internet reacts to Donald Trump Jr rubbing his gums during SpaceX's Starship rocket launch
The internet has been buzzing with reactions to a recent moment during the launch of SpaceX's Starship rocket when Donald Trump Jr. was seen rubbing his gums on a live broadcast. His actions were caught on camera on November 19, 2024, during the sixth test of Musk's SpaceX rocket launch event which he attended alongside President-elect Donald Trump.
This unusual gesture during the highly anticipated launch has sparked widespread discussion, with social media users offering a mix of humor, confusion, and speculation.
As many users on X expressed, Don Jr. appeared to be struggling to defend himself amid ongoing cocaine allegations, with his actions further fueling the controversy.
"Not beating the allegations," one commented.
Many users on X alleged that Don Jr.'s gesture resembled a typical behavior associated with cocaine use, with some suggesting that it appeared as though he was rubbing his gums.
"THAT is a typical coke move! Looks very much like he rubbed some on his gums. Fast absorption," a user on X commented.
"To quote a Grateful Dead song: "Livin' on reds, vitamin C, and cocaine," another commented.
"The launch may have been in Texas but he made sure there was plenty of snow. That's how you get Jr to go," a third wrote.
However, some users on X responded humorously, suggesting that the gesture was a normal action for anyone, while others created memes and joked about Donald Trump Jr.'s behavior.
"Totally normal thing for somebody to do 😂," a netizen commented.
"Charlie, "rub it over your gums Dee...,"" another commented.
"Looks like Dr. Ronny will get his old job back," one more on X.
As of now, neither Donald Trump Jr. nor Donald Trump has publicly commented on the online reactions.
Donald Trump Jr. makes headlines for rubbing his gums during SpaceX's starship liftoff
On Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr. attended Elon Musk's sixth test of SpaceX's rocket launch alongside his father, Donald Trump. During the event, Don Jr. wore beige pants, a light blue shirt, and a dark blue coat.
However, what truly captured viewers' attention was a gesture in which Don Jr. appeared to place his fingers inside his left front pocket, then into his mouth, rubbing his gums.
While this moment could have easily gone unnoticed, it garnered significant attention due to previous allegations against Don Jr. regarding cocaine use, as reported by The Independent.
According to GP News, allegations of cocaine use by Donald Trump Jr. first emerged in 2016, during his father's political rise. These accusations primarily circulated on social media rather than through mainstream outlets.
Additionally, in February 2023, at the Triggered podcast, Don Jr. mocked the use of cocaine during an impassioned speech.
"I look at what they called me: a traitor. Adam Schiff wanted to try me for treason, a crime punishable by death, but Hunter Biden can take a billion from China... 'He's an upstanding human being. And then I give an impassioned speech, and it's 'Don Jr is on coke,'" Don Jr. said.
However, in July 2023, according to The Independent, Donald Trump Jr. denied the allegations of cocaine use, stating that it was "not his thing." He made these remarks during the Turning Point Action Conference.
"My guys who I stayed in touch with — many of them just dear friends — they're like, 'Hey dude, there's no way you would've gotten away with that,'" he animatedly told the crowd. "I go, 'I know!' Luckily, I don't snort, er, cocaine! It's just not my thing," Don Jr. said.
As of now, there has been no formal investigation into this matter, nor has Donald Trump Jr. been caught consuming any illegal substances.
According to Al Jazeera, Donald Trump, his son, and Elon Musk traveled to Brownsville, Texas, to witness the launch of the massive Starship rocket at SpaceX's test facility in nearby Boca Chica.
Also, the rocket launched just after 5 p.m. (23:00 GMT), but SpaceX decided to abort its planned attempt to capture the first-stage booster using the "chopstick" method. Instead, the booster was allowed to fall into the ocean.
This launch came after Donald Trump's victory in the presidential elections held on November 5, 2024.