From Roasts to the White House: How a 2011 Humiliation Fueled Trump’s Presidential Ambitions

For years, Donald Trump harbored dreams of running for president, though he rarely admitted it openly. But an infamous 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where Trump faced a brutal roasting by then-President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers, may have solidified his determination to make that dream a reality.

In a resurfaced video clip from that evening, Obama and Meyers delivered a series of pointed jabs aimed at Trump’s image, his reality show The Apprentice, and his role in the “birther movement.” Now, in light of Trump’s 2024 election victory, the clip has struck a chord among his followers, who see the roast as a turning point that may have set Trump on a path to the White House, per NBC News.  

The Correspondents’ Dinner of 2011 was a night that Trump likely never forgot. Meyers set the tone, remarking, “Donald Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising since I just assumed he was running as a joke.” The laughter continued as Obama, directly addressing Trump’s role in the “birther” conspiracy, quipped, “No one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald.

And that’s because he can finally get back to the issues that matter, like: did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And—where are Biggie and Tupac?” Though the jokes were met with laughter from the audience, the video’s resurfacing after Trump’s 2024 victory has taken on a new meaning for his loyal supporters. One X (formerly Twitter) user, @RoyCalbeck, responded to the clip, saying, “And then they ran Clinton against him.

Well handled, sir. Well handled.” Another user, @AnnaMaeJ, added, “In the end, the bullied victim gets the loudest laugh,” suggesting that the roast may have ignited Trump’s determination to succeed in the political arena. Another user, @stepoya, echoed this sentiment, quoting scripture: “The stone the builders rejected has become the chief stone… that’s the Bible for you.”

The notion that this night could have pushed Trump toward the presidency is shared by some political analysts. Commentator @NBatcheller mused, “This is probably the moment he decided to run for president,” while The New Yorker editor Adam Gopnik once speculated that Trump’s public humiliation that night may have triggered an unconscious desire for vindication.

Gopnik wrote, “One can’t help but suspect that, on that night, Trump’s own sense of public humiliation became so overwhelming that he decided… that he would, somehow, get his own back—perhaps even pursue the Presidency.” However, the seeds of Trump’s political aspirations may have been planted long before that night.

Trump had hinted at a potential White House run years prior, frequently stating his confidence that he’d win if he ever chose to run. In a 1990 Playboy interview, Trump predicted he’d receive strong support from the working class, a prediction that proved true in both 2016 and again in 2024 when he defeated Kamala Harris in a decisive victory, per NPR. 

For Trump’s followers, the 2011 Correspondents’ Dinner roast is seen as a pivotal moment, the catalyst that may have transformed a public humiliation into an unyielding ambition. Whether or not that night truly spurred Trump’s desire to run, it undoubtedly left an indelible mark, one that would resonate years later when he achieved the ultimate comeback.