--- title: Steelworker Corrects Trump for Assuming His Dad Is Dead description: The devil is in the detail. The President told a steelworker that his father was looking down on him with pride. It was a lovely... canonical: https://time.com/5192862/steelworker-corrects-trump-who-thought-dad-dead/ author: Ashley Hoffman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-09T14:20:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T09:02:04.388Z og:title: Trump Eulogized a Steelworker's Father Even Though He's Alive og:description: The internet is obsessed with the clip og:url: https://time.com/5192862/steelworker-corrects-trump-who-thought-dad-dead/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt273bdec5d8e3d40d/69892a34bc6cfc10973e547a/trump-tariff.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2405 og:image:height: 1353 og:image:alt: Trump Tariffs og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Eulogized a Steelworker's Father Even Though He's Alive twitter:description: The internet is obsessed with the clip twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt273bdec5d8e3d40d/69892a34bc6cfc10973e547a/trump-tariff.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Told a Steelworker His Father Was Looking Down on Him Proudly. One Small Correction: 'He's Still Alive' > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=bff29e14-e353-4195-9bb9-5f217aaea0e7&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Trump Told a Steelworker His Father Was Looking Down on Him Proudly. One Small Correction: ‘He’s Still Alive’ [Watch (HLS stream): Trump Told a Steelworker His Father Was Looking Down on Him Proudly. One Small Correction: ‘He’s Still Alive’](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FhK1A2bE.m3u8) (0:45)  _Published 2018-03-09. The President told a steelworker that his father was looking down on him with pride. It was a lovely sentiment except for one thing. The dad’s still alive and kicking._ by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Mar 9, 2018 2:20 PM UTC The President told a steelworker that his father was looking down on him with pride. It was a lovely sentiment except for one thing. The dad’s still alive and kicking. by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Mar 9, 2018 2:20 PM UTC The devil is in the detail. The President told a [steelworker](http://time.com/5192148/donald-trump-announces-tariffs-on-steel-aluminum/) that his father was looking down on him with pride. It was a lovely sentiment except for one thing. The dad’s still alive and kicking. The light exchange that lit up the internet happened at Thursday’s White House event ahead of Trump’s announced steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, a [landmark campaign promise](http://time.com/5180901/donald-trump-steel-aluminum-tariff/). The [steep tariffs](http://time.com/5159859/why-trumps-forgotten-man-still-supports-him/) are great news to Scott Sauritch, the president of the 2227 steelworkers union in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, who explained why Trump’s move meant so much to him with a story about his dad in the ’80s. “He lost his job due to imports coming into this country,” Sauritch told Trump wistfully, offering POTUS his sincere gratitude. “I just wanted to tell you, what that does to a man with six kids is devastating. I never forgot that, looking into his eyes in my household \[and\] what that does to a family.” “What’s your father’s name?” Trump asked. “Herman,” Sauritch said. “Well, your father Herman is looking down. He’s very proud of you right now,” Trump said. “Oh, he’s still alive,” Sauritch said. > [](https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/971855716301631489) “He is?” Trump asked. “Well then, he’s even more proud of you,” he said, as laughs rippled throughout the room. Alive? Even more good news. Evidently paternal pride improves when your dad has a pulse. The President has made similar sentiments about [deceased loved ones](http://time.com/4750178/trump-pavarotti-great-friend-reactions/) before. In fairness, the emotional tale could lead anyone to believe he had passed. But that didn’t stop the internet from springing to action with jokes about the encounter. Quips about the joke “killing” internet users? You better believe Twitter had those in boatloads. > [](https://twitter.com/davidmackau/status/971852828418428928) See below for reactions. Congratulations Herman. You’re not dearly departed yet. > [](https://twitter.com/CillizzaCNN/status/971852610914476033) > [](https://twitter.com/JoeBerkowitz/status/971853235261788160) > [](https://twitter.com/%5FDrew%5FMcCoy%5F/status/971854078597783552) > [](https://twitter.com/LiberalCanuck/status/971855068139057152) > [](https://twitter.com/pkni/status/972094931287334913) > [](https://twitter.com/taylorrv%5F/status/972023666480357376) > [](https://twitter.com/Drea%5FTheCreole/status/971963333904445441) > [](https://twitter.com/2witterbird/status/971943151702220801) > [](https://twitter.com/EdwardTHardy/status/971892164451069952) > [](https://twitter.com/DeCample/status/971852989911699458) > [](https://twitter.com/LeviGibian/status/971855038908911616) ## Transcript [00:00] And I'd like to tell you a story about my father during [00:03] the 80s. He lost his job due to imports [00:08] coming into this country and I just wanna tell [00:12] you what that does to a man with six kids is [00:14] devastating so I never forgot that. Looking [00:19] into his eyes in my household what that does To a [00:22] family. You hear about it, but when you're actually [00:25] involved in it, it impacts you. It'll never leave you. I [00:29] thank you for the opportunity for what you do. Your [00:30] father's Herman? Herman, sorry, yes sir. Well, [00:34] your father Herman is looking down. He's very proud [00:37] of you right now. Well, he's still alive. He [00:43] is? Well, then he's even more proud of you. [ LAUGH ] [00:43] Then he's even more proud. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5192862/steelworker-corrects-trump-who-thought-dad-dead/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5192862/steelworker-corrects-trump-who-thought-dad-dead/"},"headline":"Trump Told a Steelworker His Father Was Looking Down on Him Proudly. One Small Correction: 'He's Still Alive'","datePublished":"2018-03-09T14:20:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-12T09:02:04.388Z","description":"The devil is in the detail. The President told a steelworker that his father was looking down on him with pride. 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