As the patriotic anthem “God Bless America” played through the stadium, Erika, dressed in a white pantsuit, walked across the stage toward Trump. What followed quickly went viral. The two greeted one another with kisses on the cheek before Erika broke down in tears, leaning on the president’s shoulder. Trump initially gave her a reassuring pat on the arm, then pulled her closer as she clung to him for comfort. Cameras captured him making an unusual facial expression during the embrace, a moment critics wasted no time replaying online.
At one point, Trump tightened the hug, kissed her cheek again, and guided her toward the podium. There, he placed his hand on her back in an apparent attempt to steady her emotions. Together, they appeared to quietly sing along to the music. Erika lifted her forehead to rest against Trump’s cheek and later raised her hand toward the crowd, flashing what looked like the American Sign Language gesture for “I love you.”
