Former President Donald Trump was visibly uncomfortable when his supporters sang “Happy Birthday” to him ahead of his 77th birthday on Tuesday. The awkward moment occurred at Miami’s famous Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana, shortly after Trump had pleaded not guilty to 37 federal counts.
Although Trump attributed his unease to a perceived out-of-control government, a source close to the former president revealed that Trump was particularly sensitive about turning 77 this year and did not want to draw attention to his age.
“Trump is [known for] hating his birthday, and never celebrates it in a meaningful way,” the source said, according to The New York Post.
“Insiders say he feels even more so this year as he doesn’t want to call attention to the fact he’s turning 77,” said the source, noting how the aging presidential candidate “winced” at the tribute.
While his wife, Melania, and their youngest child, Barron, were expected to join him at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, the insider shared that any celebrations would be low-key, similar to the previous year’s family dinner.
Amid his ongoing legal troubles, Trump celebrated his birthday in familiar fashion, as he vented his frustrations on Truth Social.
In one of his posts after midnight, Trump declared, “Joe Biden will forever be remembered as not only the most corrupt president in the history of our country, but perhaps, even more importantly, the president who, together with a group of his closest accomplices, misfits, and Marxists, attempted to destroy American Democracy!” He further asserted, “They want to take away my FREEDOM because I will never let them take away your FREEDOM. They are not coming after me. They are coming after you. I just happen to be standing in their way, and I will NEVER be moving.”
Trump already holds the distinction of being the first president to face criminal charges, having been indicted in New York for his alleged involvement in hush-money payments to silence porn star Stormy Daniels, who claimed a brief affair while he was married. Now, he faces a federal indictment with 37 counts related to the unlawful storage of national security information at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
