President Donald Trump appeared confounded by a common phrase during a public appearance in Nevada on Thursday.
The president was in Las Vegas to promote his “no tax on tips” policy, and was joined by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and Nevada Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony for an event at the AC Hotel.
Delivering a speech on the benefits of his policy, which allows employees who receive tips to deduct up to $25,000 in tips when filing their taxes, the 79-year-old came across a term he claimed to have never heard before.
“The great big beautiful bill also slashed taxes on millions of Americans, small businesses, including restaurants, dry cleaners, corner stores,” the president said, before pausing to add an aside.
“What is a corner store?” He asked the room. “I’ve never heard that term. I know what a corner store is, but I’ve never heard it described… A corner store. Who the hell wrote that, please?” He added, looking around as the audience laughed.
The president’s critics were quick to seize the opportunity to make fun of the 79-year-old for not knowing such an incredibly common term.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who was arrested on Trump’s orders after reporting on an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota, posted a clip of the moment on Instagram.
“Trump is from NYC and doesn’t know what a corner store is…” Lemon wrote, echoing much of the criticism online from other people who were also astounded that a native New Yorker had never encountered the term before.
Actor Henry Winkler, best known as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on Happy Days, also shared the clip, writing on X, “In touch with America.”
The president has previously taken issue with the word “groceries,” calling it “sort of an old-fashioned word” during a meeting with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at the White House in November.
“But a big thing on costs, you know, the new word is ‘affordability,’” Trump said. “Another word is just ‘groceries.’ You know, it’s sort of an old-fashioned word, but it’s very accurate.”
Trump also mentioned his bizarre DoorDash stunt at the White House earlier in the week during his speech in Vegas.
As part of the stunt, Arkansas grandmother Sharon Simmons delivered McDonald’s, the president’s favorite food, to the White House in an effort to promote his no tax on tips policy.
“I want to thank you for the no tax on tips,” Simmons told the president on Monday. “It has helped my family out immensely. And I definitely appreciate it.”
Simmons was later revealed to have publicly advocated for the policy before, appearing in a promotional video posted to social media by Republican Rep. Jason Smith, chair of the Ways and Means Committee.
Talking about the stunt on Thursday, Trump said, “It was a little bit of a, you know, I mean, to be honest, it was a little tacky.”
“You know, they come up with these crazy ideas like McDonald’s,” he continued.
“They’re a little embarrassing.”
Trump reportedly hand-delivered the McDonald’s order, which included cheeseburgers and fries, to White House staff.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
