When President Trump called into Fox News’ The Five from Washington, D.C., on March 26, it was supposed to be a friendly chat. But when co-host Dana Perino pressed him about the suffering of Iranian civilians, things like internet blackouts, food and water shortages, even mass killings, Trump didn’t answer. Instead, he complimented Perino’s looks, brought up an old lunch they’d shared, and only later circled back to her question, never directly addressing whether Iranians had food or water. Since then, the clip has spread across social media like wildfire.
Within hours, users started sharing and reacting to the moment. Part of what set the internet off is the seriousness of what Perino asked about: In the middle of a war, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reports more than 1,492 civilians killed, plus widespread internet blackouts leaving Iranians cut off and in the dark.
The exchange starts with Perino’s concern front and center. She said that it was “alarming” that they had not been able to see or hear from any of the Iranian people, adding that she believed their “internet is shut down.”
She then asked if there was any “insight” into how they were doing, including whether they had “drinking water” and “food,” calling the situation “upsetting.”
Trump says, “I do,” but then veers off: “But first, remember when we had lunch years ago in the base of Trump Tower when it was a brand new building?”
He goes on: “You haven’t changed. I’m not allowed to say this. It’s the end of my political career, but you may be even better looking, okay? So, I don’t know what you’re doing.”
Meanwhile, Perino just smiles.
Internet Reacts to Trump’s Response From Washington, D.C. to Dana Perino’s Iran Question
Reactions online were sharp and largely critical of the exchange. Many expressed disbelief at the disconnect between the gravity of the question and the nature of the response, with one commenter writing, “This is not a serious civilization.” Others echoed the sentiment, writing “For as serious as things are, we are not living in serious times.”
Several users zeroed in on the specific contrast between the subject matter and Trump’s pivot, with one asking, “Is he asking her on a date while she’s asking him about famine and death he’s causing?” Another summarized the exchange bluntly: “Yeah, baby, who cares about the people, let’s talk about how good you’re looking nowadays.”
The most widely shared reaction cut to the heart of what many found most troubling: “You know what’s sadder than this happening once? The fact that people voted for this and that this behavior is normalized now.”
The reason this moment hit a nerve is simple. In a few seconds, it shows what a lot of people have been saying for weeks: The real pain and suffering of the Iranian people aren’t a priority at the highest level. And since it happened on Fox News live from Washington, D.C., not in a room full of critical reporters, it’s a lot harder to chalk this up to some media bias.
Perino asked about famine, blackouts, and mass killings. The answer she got has become one of the defining clips of the Iran war conversation. The space between question and response is exactly what everyone online can’t stop talking about.
