President Donald Trump was vowing to cut costs for farmers who have been hurt by rising costs when he got distracted by a massive gold tractor.
The president, 79, was speaking on the Truman Balcony overlooking the White House grounds about cutting regulations when he looked down at the shiny machine on the lawn.
“We are working very hard and very quickly to get rid of the horrible chains placed on tractor suppliers,” Trump said before looking at the tractor without taking a beat.
“That’s a beautiful tractor. That’s a gold tractor. Somebody had me in mind,” Trump declared. “What’s that all about? That’s a hell of a tractor.”
The president also noted other tractors on the lawn, but the gold one was clearly his favorite.
“That’s a good one too, red, white, and blue, but somebody really hit me with that one,” he said, turning back to admire the gold one.
The president went on to deliver more in a rambling speech where he spoke further about helping farmers, but he also touched on a series of other issues popular with his base, like men in women’s sports.
But the president was not done gushing about the big gold machinery below.
“Do you mind if I step over here and just look at that tractor for a second?” he said a few moments later in his speech, right after a farmer also gave remarks. “Because I assume it’s a gift to me.”
The president then stepped a bit further back from the microphone to admire it, but he could still be heard praising the machine.
“That’s crazy!” he said. “Wow, that is really something, right? Thank you very much for the gift, I appreciate the gift.”
But then the president, when he stepped back up to the microphone, lamented not being able to keep it.
“Oh boy, can you imagine if I accepted that gift what they would do? A Democrat could accept. We’re not allowed to accept,” Trump claimed, as if he hadn’t been collecting a series of gold trophies and awards in the Oval Office, as well as the Pentagon accepting a Qatari luxury jet last year.
“But, no that’s a beautiful machine. I love,” Trump concluded.
During his remarks, the president also touted the building of the ballroom on the property while noting the construction taking place nearby.
It came just moments after the president announced he was requesting additional relief for farmers, following a $12 billion bailout in December. But he suggested the previous relief didn’t even matter.
“I just gave you 12 billion dollars. I don’t know if you know that or not. You make enough money. It doesn’t matter to you, right?” Trump told the crowd.
Farmers have been squeezed by rising costs and hit hard by Trump’s tariff policies. Now, they’re facing further challenges as the price of fuel and fertilizer has been driven up by the war in Iran.
But the president vowed help would be on the way on Friday before he quipped that any farmer who votes for a Democrat “is crazy.”
