--- 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: 2026-04-13T07:51:15.755Z 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: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. 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Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=9c24c7b5-6413-4c7b-9ab6-35303d051de7&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1) by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Mar 9, 2018 2:20 PM UTC  President Donald Trump speaks before signing Section 232 Proclamations on Steel and Aluminum Imports in the Oval Office of the White House on March 8, 2018, in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump speaks before signing Section 232 Proclamations on Steel and Aluminum Imports in the Oval Office of the White House on March 8, 2018, in Washington, D.C. Mandel Ngan—AFP/Getty Images 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) ```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. 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