Does video show Trump making strange noise during South Carolina rally?

Claim:

Video authentically shows U.S. President Donald Trump making a strange “EHHH!” sound midsentence during a speech at an Oct. 21 campaign rally for Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina.

Rating:

On Oct. 21, U.S. President Donald Trump was speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina for Republican Sen. Darline Graham when a video (archived) clipped from the speech began circulating in which he appeared to emit a strange, guttural vocalization midsentence: “And I’d say 90% of the reason I took the governor — EHHH! — I took the governor, I put her over at the United Nations, because I wanted this guy to become governor.”

People spread the clip — which was easily authenticated via the original  C-SPAN footage — on various social media platforms. It’s anybody’s guess whether it was a burp (or another involuntary noise), or purposeful expression of dislike or disapproval for the person he was talking about. 

The moment in question takes place at the 19:40 mark in the C-SPAN video. In the middle of praising South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, he brought up appointing then-Gov. Nikki Haley as ambassador to the United Nations in 2017 “because I wanted this guy to become governor” (emphasis ours):

They allowed 25 million people to pour across our borders from all over the world. And if they ever won, they are going to do it all again, they’re going to do it again. You remember the hell we lived in? It was like a dark period. The proud people of South Carolina, Henry, will never let that happen. Please, Henry, you’re gonna be watching, Henry is going to be watching. He’s great, he’s great. You know he was the lieutenant governor. And I’d say 90% of the reason I took the governor — EHHH! — I took the governor, I put her over at the United Nations, because I wanted this guy to become governor.

Spirited debates took place online, with some people taking the position Trump simply burped, while others called it a sign of “advance dementia” or a “mini-stroke.” We asked spokespeople at the White House if they could explain it but have not yet received a reply.

As president, Trump has often made verbal gaffes, for example misstating placenames, but he has claimed he does this on purpose. Trump also has made other odd vocal noises during his speeches, for example mimicking the sound of bombs dropping as “Bing, bing!” in 2025.

For further reading, Snopes has also reported on authentic statements Trump has made over the years. 

Sources