This week, Donald Trump addressed a group of teenage conservative activists from controversial student group Turning Point USA.
But there was one glaring problem.
Behind Trump as he spoke in front of thousands of phone-clutching teens was a screen. The screen displayed a parody image of the presidential seal featuring a two-headed eagle that bore a striking similarity to the State seal of the Russian Federation. The eagle clutched a set of golf clubs in its talons.
The seal was visible behind Trump, who stood behind a podium affixed with the official presidential seal during his speech.
President Donald Trump stood before an altered presidential seal while being introduced at a student activist confe… https://t.co/TNlHcrbl9O— USA TODAY (@USA TODAY) 1564096940
Turning Point apologised for the incident, telling CNN there was "zero malicious intent" behind the imagery.
We're sorry for the mix-up and meant no disrespect to the White House or the President or the advance team.
The individual responsible, a member of Turning Point’s team, was let go. Allegedly, the incident was just a Google search mistake.
The seal's eagle evokes imagery of the Russian coat of arms. Trump's relationship with Russia has cast somewhat of a shadow over his presidency after Robert Mueller’s investigation into his campaign’s involvement in Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Naturally, given the Russian interference in the 2016 election – which Trump benefited from – Twitter found Turning Point's blunder hilarious.
After images of the seal were saved online, "45 is a puppet" began trending on Twitter, which was written on the seal. This likely references when Hillary Clinton famously said in 2016 that Russian president Putin would "rather have a puppet" like Trump as presdient.
Fake president with the fake seal. Both Russian made #45isapuppet https://t.co/Vk2oBh93c7— Fe Gani (@Fe Gani) 1564099710
I interviewed the creator of that fake presidential seal President Trump stood in front of. https://t.co/reJ31BRuXH https://t.co/yHVM292MrM— Niraj Chokshi (@Niraj Chokshi) 1564082152
The Great Seal of the President of the United States is on the left. Donald Trump's great Russian seal of Putin's… https://t.co/KYz9a5yjLO— Grant Stern is boosted! (@Grant Stern is boosted!) 1564071140
Hillary was the first one to say it #45isapuppet— Tom D'Angora #StillWithHer #BLM #Vaccinated (@Tom D'Angora #StillWithHer #BLM #Vaccinated) 1564103405
H/T: CNN