Trump-backing Pa. teen, 13, who shot viral clip of Biden in MAGA hat, met 2 presidents minutes apart
A Pennsylvania teenager had a “once in a lifetime opportunity” when she met President Biden and Donald Trump within a matter of minutes Wednesday — and captured the viral clip showing the commander in chief donning a “Trump 2024” hat.
Schools in Shanksville were canceled on Wednesday as roads were blocked for Biden and Trumps visit to the memorial for United Airlines Flight 93, one of the hijacked planes that crashed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
When 13-year-old Ryleigh and her friend heard rumors that Trump, 78, or Biden, 81, were possibly stopping at the Shanksville firehouse during their trip, they decided to check it out.
“So of course, all of the Trump-supporting kids still put on their MAGA gear and decide to go to the firehouse all hoping it was Trump but then it was Biden, Ryleighs mother, Jana Musser, told The Post Thursday night.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, both strolled in first bearing beer and pizza but there was “no clapping or anything, for the Democrats, Ryleigh said. 5 Biden poses for a picture with several kids — including 13-year-old Ryleigh (circled) — wearing Donald Trump gear during his visit to Shanksville, Pa., Wednesday. X / Jana Musser 5 Trump stopped by the firehouse just 15 minutes after Biden. AP 5 Trump visits the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Company in Shanksville, Pa., on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. AP
While Biden was not the conservative celebrity guest the crowd was expecting, Ryleigh and the other kids present snapped an incredible photograph with the sitting president.
Biden looked uncomfortable as was surrounded by about 16 youngsters many sporting shirts supporting his Republican rival.
But despite being in apparent enemy territory in a deep-red county Biden was able to crack a few jokes.
One boy sported a pro-Trump shirt with “dumb dumb and dumber” on it above the faces of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Harris and Biden.
“So I guess I’m dumber,” Biden quipped, Ryleigh said.
The teen also snapped the now-viral video showing Biden put on a mans Trump 2024 hat in a bizarre interaction. The footage was shared by the Trump-Vance campaign and the White House later confirmed that the president put on the hat in a gesture of bipartisanship.
It’s actually pretty crazy cause a lot of people have posted it on TikTok and I’m the one that took the video, [now] watching the video, Ryleigh said of the now-viral clip.
Biden and Harris left shortly afterward but about 15 minutes later, Trump and his entourage arrived at the to cheers a stark contrast to Bidens entrance, the teen said. 5 Ryleigh Musser, 13, took photos with Biden and Trump within minutes on Wednesday. AP 5 Biden and Trump visited the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville on Wednesday, the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. AFP via Getty Images
Trump, like his Democratic opponent, shook hands with voters and posed for a photo with all the children. Ryleigh even got to take a selfie with the 45th president.
“[Ryleigh] texted me a picture while she was there and I could not believe it was her and Trump … I was not expecting that, said Jana, a Trump supporter who was not in attendance Wednesday.
“We’ve been dying to get the kids to meet Trump or get a picture with Trump. Finally now, after all these years we got them together, the mother of four added.
Shanksville, located in Somerset County in central Pennsylvania, is a deeply conservative part of the battleground state where more than 77% of voters backed Trump in the 2020 election.
Ryleigh called it a once in a lifetime opportunity to see two presidents and get pictures with them within a matter of minutes.
Although shes pulling for Trump, Jana said it was “pretty nice to see that [Biden’s] willing to stand there with the kids and get a photo with them even in their Trump shirts.
