Full Breakdown
Trump Uses Cheat Sheet During Oval Office Meeting
8/18/2026, 4:19:48 AM
Core Event
President Donald Trump met in the Oval Office with Ryder Williams, a 16-year-old California lifeguard, and Nathaniel Rai, 10, whom Williams rescued from drowning at a Santa Cruz beach in July. During the meeting, Trump held a curled card in his left hand that displayed photos of the two boys, biographical details, and entries from the president’s schedule such as “1:15 p.m. Photo Opportunity” and “1:30 p.m. POTUS concludes.” The White House praised Williams as a “young American hero” and presented him with a certificate of commendation signed by Trump.
Background: Cheat Sheets in Recent Presidencies
The use of staff-prepared notes by presidents is not new. During former President Joe Biden’s tenure, a staff-generated cheat sheet listing reporters’ names and talking points was photographed at a March 2021 news conference. The document also contained factual bullet points, including a claim about Chinese infrastructure spending. Right-wing commentators such as Candace Owens and Stephen Miller publicly criticized Biden’s reliance on such notes, describing the practice as “bad faith” and “not very reassuring.” After Biden left office, similar criticism resurfaced when a staff-prepared sheet with step-by-step directives was leaked, prompting Fox News host Sean Hannity and commentator Benny Johnson to mock the president’s fitness for office.
Official Statements & Responses
The White House highlighted the meeting as a celebration of civic heroism, emphasizing the lifeguard’s rescue. In a Fox News interview, Trump called the earlier Biden news conference “very sad” and “ridiculous.” The Independent’s request for comment from the White House went unanswered.
Criticism & Opposition
Republican figures have repeatedly framed cheat-sheet usage as evidence of diminished mental sharpness. Stephen Miller, then a senior advisor to Trump, said it was “not very reassuring” that Biden relied heavily on generic notes to discuss the growing threat from China. Polling data reflect lingering doubts about presidential fitness: an ABC News survey in May found that 59 percent of respondents believed Trump lacked the mental sharpness required to lead, while a February 2022 ABC News poll showed 54 percent of Americans doubted Biden’s mental acuity.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It was not very reassuring today that Biden relied so heavily on generic notes from staff to discuss the growing threat from China,” — Stephen Miller, then a senior advisor to Trump
