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6 Acts Of Subtle Rebellion You Might Have Missed At Trump’s Inauguration

From side-eyes to silence
Hilary Clinton Trump Inauguration
Image: Getty

The inauguration ceremony for Donald Trump is officially over, but the symbolic event is far from out of our minds completely. Especially when it came to some powerful reactions from the long list of attendees that served as a dose of reality during an unreal time.

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Not only did Trump spend his inauguration promising to deliver on a vast array of concerning executive orders under the guise of returning America to its “golden age,” but he then took to the stage (literally) to sign them into apparent reality.

While most of the attendee reactions oscillated between adoration, astonishment, confusion and outright disbelief, there were a few notable moments of silent protest from some of the members that spoke a thousand words.

From noteworthy absences to sartorial statements we can’t stop thinking about these are the subtle forms of protest that made us stop during the president’s speech.

6 Reactions To The Trump Inauguration Speech We Didn’t See Coming

1. Bernie Sanders Refusing To Stand

Bernie Sanders Sitting during Trump Inauguration
Image: Getty
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Bernie Sanders has made no secret of the fact that he has no plans to hitch himself to the Donald Trump wagon, and after today, that’s unlikely to change.

When Trump announced he would “sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America,” the inauguration crowd reacted with a standing ovation. Most of the crowd, that is.

As the camera panned across the Rotunda, a stoic Bernie Sanders was captured sitting – hard to miss in a sea of people raised to their feet.

Not only did he mark his disapproval of Trump’s vow to “end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life,” but his objection remained for the president’s subsequent declaration to end the Green New Deal – a cause Bernie personally championed.

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Trump inauguration reactions came thick and fast as social media users couldn’t help but identify with Bernie’s state of mind.

2. Hilary Clinton Responding To Trump’s “Gulf of America” Comment

Hilary Clinton Trump Inauguration

While maybe not as subtle as some of the other reactions during the Trump inauguration, former first lady and political opponent Hilary Clinton found one particular part of the day’s events rather amusing.

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During Trump’s tirade about “returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” also included his intention to rename the Gulf of Mexico to – the Gulf of America.

Though the declaration might have been missed by most, Clinton was quick to show her opinion of the statement and made no attempts to hide her reaction.

Thankfully for us, a quick-thinking camera operator managed to capture the candid moment – as seen in this CNN footage.

3. Melania Trump’s Main Character Boater

Melania Trump Hat Inauguration
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The minute Melania Trump’s serious looking boater-style hat made it onto television screens across the world, it became an instant internet hit.

Managing to not only obscure most of her face from every possible angle, many online commentators noted its width also might have been a way of preventing her husband from going in for a celebratory little smooch. And they weren’t wrong.

The hat drew comparisons to everyone from Hamburgler to Al Capone, with others likening her chosen outfit to funeral attire.

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Whatever the world’s reaction, we’re sure Melania knew exactly what she was doing by opting for that particular millinery moment.

4. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Calling Out Hypocrisy

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez trump inauguration
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to twitter to explain her missing-in-action status and made her very clear.

Responding to those questioning her about why she chose to skip the event, Ocasio-Cortez said she “doesn’t celebrate rapists.”

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And who could blame her? Donald Trump is officially the first president to be convicted of a felony and still take up office, after also being found liable of sexually abusing American writer E. Jean Carroll.

5. Jill Biden’s Call For Unity

Jill Biden Purple Outfit Trump Inauguration
Image: Getty

First lady Jill Biden chose to make a subtle statement of the sartorial kind at this year’s inauguration.

Opting for a positive spin on the day’s events, she wore a Ralph Lauren ensemble in a bright shade of purple.

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The colour – a notable blend of red and blue – represents a coming together of the two parties, symbolising a hopeful call for bipartisan unity.

6. Michelle Obama’s Notable Absence

Trump Protests Michelle Obama
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When the guest list for the second Trump inauguration was first dropped, a key omission from the list signalled a pretty significant break in tradition.

Former-president Barack Obama opted to travel solo, that is, without his wife and former first lady, Michelle Obama.

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You see, it turns out that Michelle wasn’t really in a celebratory mood, and choosing to prioritise her own peace meant sitting this one out.

Sources close to the couple reportedly told People: “There’s no overstating her feelings about [Trump]. She’s not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocol’s sake,” the source said. “Michelle doesn’t do anything because it’s expected or it’s protocol or it’s tradition.”


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