Story perspectives

Trump Walks Past Saluting Marines, Skips Custom Salute

9/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump gestured at Marine One pilots after a weekend at his New Jersey golf club.
He ignored two saluting Marines and walked past without returning the customary salute.
On Sunday Trump posted Truth Social images of himself with George Washington and a Titanic “Dumocratic Party” rendering.
He suggested renaming New Mexico “New America.”
He declared “The Moon is Ours.”

History

Historical Context

In July 1969, President Richard Nixon televised the Apollo 11 Moon landing, declaring the United States’ triumph in space. NASA’s Apollo program cost $25.4 billion, and 1.5 million Americans watched the live broadcast on television, marking unprecedented national viewership. Today, President Donald Trump’s refusal to salute Marine One pilots mirrors Nixon’s symbolic gestures, and his “Moon is Ours” claim recalls the 1969 triumph. Such parallels suggest that presidential theatrics can reshape civil-military norms and revive historic narratives, influencing public perception of national destiny.

1 of 2

Story summary

President Donald Trump gestured at Marine One pilots after a weekend at his New Jersey golf club.
He ignored two saluting Marines and walked past without returning the customary salute.
On Sunday Trump posted Truth Social images of himself with George Washington and a Titanic “Dumocratic Party” rendering.
He suggested renaming New Mexico “New America.”
He declared “The Moon is Ours.”

1 / 2