Crane operator caught sleeping behind Trump at flagpole ceremony

A crane operator was caught napping behind Donald Trump during an event at the White House on Wednesday.

The worker appeared to briefly wake up, notice the US President below him, and go back to sleep.

The moment was captured on video during the ceremonial installation of two 30.5m flagpoles on the White House lawn.

A beaming Trump posed for photos with the workers tasked with erecting the “most magnificent poles made”, as he described them on his Truth Social platform.

But while he shook hands with the workers wearing bright yellow T-shirts, the President appeared to be unaware that the crane operator, wearing sunglasses, a cap and sleeping just a few metres behind in the crane’s cabin, was dozing off.

Social media users were quick to make light of the faux pas, with one user on X noting the unidentified man had missed out on a handshake with “the most important man in the world”.

Another user joked the employee was “emulating” Trump’s behaviour at “any event where he is seated”, while another asked: “Did the guy in the crane pretend to be asleep to avoid the Trump selfie?”

The new flag poles were erected on the north and south lawns of the White House.

They are the first in a series of intended renovations to the White House lawn, with plans to pave over the grass of the famous Rose Garden apparently in the works.

Trump has also added his personal touches to the interior of the presidential home, hanging his own mugshot in the building and adding Mar-a-Lago-style gold accents in a large renovation of the Oval Office’s decor.

‘I bet they all voted for Trump’

Trump described the flags as “the largest you’ll ever see”. He told the press in front of the contractors tasked with the job: “I don’t know them but I love them”, and “I bet they all voted for Trump”, while criticising the federal reserve and hailing the success of his tariffs.

The contractors were seen laughing awkwardly behind the President while the press asked him about the heightening tensions in the Middle East.

Trump looked for reassurance from the workers that they agreed the Russia-Ukraine war would have “never happened” if he were president, and described the conflicts as “stupid”.