Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer made a slip-up at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual gala in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. As he spoke to the crowd, Emmer appeared to refer to Donald Trump as “President C***” before quickly correcting himself.
“President C***,” Emmer seemed to say, then quickly added, “President Donald Trump is counting on us. The American people are counting on us, and our friends in this room and grassroots supporters across the country are counting on us.”
The slip didn’t go unnoticed. The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political action committee, wasted no time in responding, tweeting, “Had it right the first time.” Others on social media joined in, with one person saying, “Freud just chuckled in his grave.”
Emmer, the House Majority Whip, made the mistake in front of a room full of GOP donors who had paid up to $300,000 to attend. According to a source, the NRCC raised $35.2 million ahead of the event, a figure Trump later confirmed during his speech. He added that he hopes to raise $50 million at next year’s event.
Before the blunder, Emmer struggled through his opening remarks. “Hello, fellow Republicans,” he began, then corrected himself, saying, “No! Hello, feb… feh… fellow Republicans! Where are ya?” His tone became louder as he adjusted his microphone.
Emmer also teased the crowd about the night’s line-up, saying, “I know this is the uh, this is the cheap time. You get to hear from me. Then, you’re gonna get energy out of Steve Scalise. And you’re gonna get some energy out of our Speaker, Mike Johnson. But guess what? The show is Donald J. Trump. So get ready.”
Later, Emmer praised Trump’s early months in office, boasting about his administration’s accomplishments. “In just 100 days, President Trump has delivered endless wins for the American people,” Emmer declared. “Whether it is ending the invasion at our southern border or rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse – one thing is clear: America is back!”
Trump took the stage shortly after, confirming the fundraising success and boasting about his global tariffs. He mocked world leaders who were reportedly desperate to negotiate with him, saying, “Please, Sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, Sir,” in a mocking tone.
Trump also referred to his administration’s “most successful 100 days in this country’s history,” and revived a bizarre reference from his 2024 campaign. “They used to go crazy when I talked about… The late, great Hannibal Lecter. Right?” Trump said. “Why does he talk about that? He’s a fictional character. He’s not. We have many of them that came across the border. He’s actually not.”
Watch Emmer’s speech below:
