Jimmy Fallon joked that one of Trump’s rally attendees in Georgia stole the president’s thunder.
The attendee, who has since come forward as 20-year-old Rylan Ferguson, went viral for exaggerating Trump’s hand gestures and mannerisms while watching from right behind him.
“One of the attendees sitting behind Trump was a little distracting,” Fallon said. “Take a look at this kid.”
Fallon interspersed the sequence with clips from the rally, showing Ferguson mimicking Trump’s motions while Trump spoke.
“Right now than at any time in the history of our country, and Americans are working today,” Trump said while Ferguson mouthed along to the gibberish. Ferguson was similarly silently copying Trump when he said, “This is what this skirmish we have with the Islamic Republic.”
Ferguson, whom social media users initially hailed as an “absolute legend” and a “lovable and clever troll,” has since said that he wasn’t mocking Trump and was actually “absolutely pumped and amazed to actually sit behind the president.” Online users met his clarification with skepticism.
Fallon wasn’t finished after showing the audience video clips.
“It’s sad, but that kid is now the 2028 Democratic frontrunner,” he quipped. “Yeah, you made fun of Trump behind his back. Trump’s entire staff was like, ‘Yeah, who would do such a thing?’”
