The ‘Trump dance’: Tracing its viral spread and appearances in sports

Donald Trump’s dancing has achieved widespread popularity on TikTok. The US president-elect’s distinctive movements – including swaying the hips, pumping a fist into the air, and occasionally a golf swing – have gained traction since his victory over Kamala Harris. American athletes across various sports have adopted this dance in their celebrations in recent weeks, and it has also been observed in the English Football League (EFL). Trump personally witnessed the celebration after Jon Jones successfully defended his heavyweight title at UFC 309 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. This article explores the phenomenon behind its widespread adoption. This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Just a few days after Trump’s election success, American footballer Nick Bosa performed the dance on the pitch with his San Francisco 49ers team-mates. Bosa was previously fined by the NFL, external for wearing a hat with a pro-Trump message during a TV interview after a game. His celebration has been replicated elsewhere in the NFL by players including Brock Bowers, Calvin Ridley, and Za’Darius Smith, as well as in college football. US footballer Christian Pulisic adopted the dance after scoring a goal in a Concacaf Nations League match, indicating the dance’s expansion to a global audience. British golfer Charley Hull was seen performing it while competing on the LPGA Tour, and Barnsley’s footballers did likewise after scoring against Cambridge United. In many instances, the precise motivations are not definitively known, with some likely participating as part of a TikTok trend. However, certain athletes have offered insights into their reasons. Jones, who performed the moves after beating Stipe Miocic, said: “I want to say a big, big thank you to President Donald Trump for being here. What do you guys think about my version of the Donald Trump?” Trump reposted a video of the interaction on his Truth Social account. Pulisic, however, was keen to point out he was not doing a “political dance” after scoring during his side’s 4-2 victory over Jamaica. He said: “I saw everyone doing it in the NFL, I saw Jon Jones do it, and we were just having a bit of fun.” He added: “Obviously, that’s the ‘Trump Dance’ but it was just a dance that everyone was doing.” Meanwhile, the NFL has stated it will not be cracking down on the dance, which it does not perceive as a political statement. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Front Office Sports there was “no issue” with the “celebratory dance.”