Trump goes viral after mispronouncing Yosemite

President Trump went viral for the wrong reasons on Tuesday when he mispronounced the name of one of America’s most famous national parks at a ceremony touting his signature on a major piece of conservation legislation.

Trump tripped up as he tried to speak about the giant sequoia trees of Yosemite National Park. Instead of Yosemite, it sounded as if Trump was saying “yo-Semite.”

VIRAL MOMENT: President Trump has trouble pronouncing ‘Yosemite.’ pic.twitter.com/nkMAev0udW

— The Hill (@thehill) August 4, 2020

Social media users and political opponents of the president immediately pounced, joking about the incident on Twitter. 

tfw you’re the president and don’t know how to pronounce “Yosemite” pic.twitter.com/r1oyzrXb6D

— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) August 4, 2020

The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump GOP super PAC, shared “The president can pronounce hydroxychloroquine, but not Yosemite,” referencing the antimalarial drug that the president has touted as a treatment for the coronavirus. 

The president can pronounce hydroxychloroquine, but not Yosemite.

— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 4, 2020

Former White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu shared a video of former President Obama during a visit to Yosemite National Park. 

And here’s Obama at Yosemite in June 2016

Happy Birthday, Mr. President https://t.co/vqGfDFQQ7e pic.twitter.com/1ePmdIvfmf

— Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44) August 4, 2020

Following Trump’s mispronunciation, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington slammed the president’s nomination of William Perry Pendley to lead the Bureau of Land Management. Pendley has advocated for selling off federal lands, and he has significant ties to industries that the agency regulates.

Trump mispronouncing Yosemite is funny.

Trump appointing someone with 50 conflicts of interest to head the Bureau of Land Management is terrifying.https://t.co/8e4bTvWrIk

— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) August 4, 2020