ComedyDonald TrumpU.S. NewsNancy Pelosi

Donald Trump's Empty Chair Stunt Backfires Hilariously

That didn't go as planned.
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By 

Overnight Editor, HuffPost

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President Donald Trump’s odd photo op on Tuesday with a pair of empty chairs has quickly turned into a new meme ― and probably not the one he was hoping for.

The chairs were supposedly reserved for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who bailed on a meeting after the president tweeted “I don’t see a deal” with the pair. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) were both at the meeting, but cast off to the sides as Trump sat flanked by the empty seats. 

Trump was hoping the seats would show that the two Democrats are, as he said, “all talk and no action.” 

Instead, the image of a lonely looking president sitting between two empty chairs quickly went viral: 

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Before You Go

Trump Shakes Hands At ASEAN Summit
(01 of10)
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1. Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte motions for Trump to step forward. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(02 of10)
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2. World leaders begin to take each other's hands. Trump turns to Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(03 of10)
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3. Trump uses his right hand, instead of his left, which is required for such a handshake. Phuc turns to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who also offers the wrong hand. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(04 of10)
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4. Trump notices something is amiss. Medvedev just sticks with it. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(05 of10)
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5. Trump begins switching his hands. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(06 of10)
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6. But the reach is a little far for him. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(07 of10)
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7. He gets there. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(08 of10)
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8. Though he appears to look a tad uncomfortable. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(09 of10)
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9. More than a tad. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
(10 of10)
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10. There we go. (credit:JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
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