Not just for Trump - Some more infamous examples of politicians swearing in public
Donald Trump raised eyebrows after he dropped a swear word on live television to describe the Israel-Iran conflict.
Now, swearing is just a part of life; and this isn't even the first time as a public figure, Mr Trump has dropped a bomb on television, either as a real estate magnate, TV host, or Presidential candidate/President of the US.
But either way, sometimes it's still a bit jarring when a public representative does say a swear, be it intentionally or otherwise.
We might as well start with the most recent one.
Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after a 12 day exchange over Iran's reported development of a nuclear bomb — a ceasefire that was nearly immediately broken when both countries accused the other of breaking the ceasefire.
Despite being close allies with Israel, Mr Trump clearly expressed his frustrations with both countries; telling reporters 'We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f**k they're doing.' Pic: Oireachtas TV
The greatest moment in the Dáil, Greens TD Paul Gogarty gained international notoriety when he aimed an incredibly heated expletive at Labour's Emmett Stagg.
Following a heated debate around a social welfare bill for the 2010 Budget, Mr Gogarty now famously gave a heads up that he was going to swear; saying 'in the most unparliamentary language, f**k you, Deputy Stagg! F**k you!' before immediately apologising.
Incredibly, since the use of f**k was not on the list of banned words in the Dáil (granted, because it was never used before then), so Mr Gogarty didn't face any serious repercussions. He lost his seat in the 2011 election, but won his seat back last year — where he weirdly quoted Chappell Roan's song Good Luck, Babe! in the chamber. Then President of Mexico Vincente Fox had strong words for then Presidential candidate Donald Trump, who said that he was going to build a border wall between the US and Mexico that Mexico would pay for. Pic:Of course, one of the biggest campaign promises during Donald Trump's first Presidential campaign was that he was going to build a border wall between the US and Mexico, making the latter pay for it.
When Mr Trump became the frontrunner for the Republican presidential candidacy in 2016, then Mexican President Vicente Fox Quesada told the then-candidate where to go regarding his plans for a US-built, Mexican-paid border wall.
'I'm not going to pay for that f**king wall. [Trump] should pay for it,' Mr Fox said at the time. 'He's got the money.' Joe Biden and Barack Obama enjoyed a bit of a bromance during Obama's Presidency. Mr Biden was caught on a hot mic saying that a bill his boss signed was a 'big f**king deal.' Pic: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
While Joe Biden's Presidency was full of gaffes, the then Vice President was picked up on a hot mic hugging his superior, President Barack Obama, after the latter signed healthcare reform legislation.
Intending to whisper 'this is a big f*****g deal' to Mr Obama, Mr Biden was picked up on a microphone saying so, where it was repeated on Fox News a number of times.
After China stonewalled on a deal with Australia, Kevin Rudd had some choice words for his Chinese counterparts.
Going on a rant to political journalist David Marr, Mr Marr wrote of Mr Rudd in his Quarterly Essay 'His anger was real, but his language seemed forced, deliberately foul.
'In this mood, he'd been talking about countries 'rat f**king' each other for days. Was a deal still possible, asked one of the Australians, [Rudd said] 'depends whether those rat-f**king Chinese want to f**k us.'' While he said it off record, it was reported anyway. Oops.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
34 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
NATO summit commits to higher spending and mutual defence
NATO leaders have backed a big increase in defence spending and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack after a brief summit tailor-made for US President Donald Trump. In a short statement, the organisation endorsed a higher defence spending goal of 5% of GDP by 2035 - a response to a demand by Mr Trump and to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defence as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - that an attack on one is an attack on all," the statement said, after Mr Trump had sparked concern yesterday by saying there were "numerous definitions" of the clause. But just before the summit opened, he had said of fellow NATO members: "We're with them all the way." However, Mr Trump said that the US will make Spain pay twice as much for a trade deal after the country refused to meet the new NATO defense spending target. While NATO leaders backed a big increase in defense spending, Spain declared that it does not need to meet the goal and can meet its commitments by spending much less. Mr Trump called Spain's decision "very terrible" and vowed to force the country to make up the difference. "We're negotiating with Spain on a trade deal. We're going to make them pay twice as much," Mr Trump said. As a member of the European Union, Spain does not negotiate directly with the US on trade - the European Commission handles those talks for the entire 27-nation bloc. Mr Trump may have a hard time following through on his threat to punish Spain through a trade pact unless he gets language on the issue into a broader EU agreement. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain is always the solution and "never the problem", adding that it will defend its position with conviction. "We're talking about the fact that if we had accepted what was proposed, Spain would have had to allocate more than €300 billion between now and 2035. "Where do these resources come from? From more taxes on citizens? From cuts to the education system, healthcare, and pensions?" he said. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged that it was not easy for European countries and Canada to find the extra money, but said it was vital to do so. "There is absolute conviction with my colleagues at the table that, given this threat from the Russians, given the international security situation, there is no alternative," the former Dutch prime minister told reporters in his home city of The Hague. The new spending target - to be achieved over the next ten years - is a jump worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the current goal of 2% of GDP, although it will be measured differently. Countries would spend 3.5% of GDP on core defence - such as troops and weapons - and 1.5% on broader defence-related measures such as cyber security, protecting pipelines and adapting roads and bridges to handle heavy military vehicles. All NATO members have backed a statement enshrining the target, although Spain declared it does not need to meet the goal and can meet its commitments by spending much less. Mr Rutte disputes that but accepted a diplomatic fudge with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as part of his efforts to give Mr Trump a diplomatic victory and make the summit go smoothly. Spain said that it did not expect its stance to have any repercussions. Mr Rutte has kept the summit and its final statement short and focused on the spending pledge to try to avert any friction with Mr Trump. Mr Rutte also likened Mr Trump to a "daddy" intervening in a schoolyard brawl after the US president used profanity when describing the war between Israel and Iran. In comments to the press during the summit, Mr Trump had compared fighting between Iran and Israel to children quarrelling. "They've had a big fight, like two kids in a schoolyard," Mr Rutte said, adding "let them fight for about two to three minutes, then it's easy to stop them". The NATO chief added: "And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get (them to) stop." Following the ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel, Mr Trump said the countries had been fighting "so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*** they're doing." Trump says US to hold talks with Iran after US 'victory' US President Donald Trump hailed the swift end to war between Iran and Israel and said the US would likely seek a commitment from Tehran to end its nuclear ambitions at talks with Iranian officials next week. Mr Trump said his decision to join Israel's attacks by targeting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs had ended the war, calling it "a victory for everybody". "It was very severe. It was obliteration," he said, shrugging off an initial assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency that Iran's path to building a nuclear weapon may have been set back only by months. He said he did not see Iran getting involved again in developing nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied decades of accusations by Western leaders that it is seeking nuclear arms. "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I don't think it's that necessary," Mr Trump said. Meanwhile, Mr Trump indicated that he will consider providing more of the Patriot missiles that Ukraine needs to defend against mounting Russian strikes, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin "really has to end that war". His remarks came after a 50-minute meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague. Both leaders described it as a positive step in a conflict that Mr Trump described as "more difficult than other wars". During a press conference in which he celebrated his own diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Mr Trump said the Patriots were "very hard to get" but that "we are going to see if we can make some of them available". Mr Zelensky mentioned air-defence systems but it was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to more missiles or complete batteries.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
VAT rate cut for hospitality is back on the table - but will it be enough?
One of the shake-outs from last year's general election and the subsequent Government formation talks is that cutting the VAT rate for the hospitality sector to 9 per cent from 13.5 per cent now looks almost certain to happen. Ahead of last year's budget the idea was knocked back, with Department of Finance officials particularly opposed to the idea, calling it unjustified. 'The cost is very significant. For instance the cost of a further temporary VAT reduction to 9% for a full year is estimated to be €764 million,' the department said at the time. So what changed? READ MORE Aside from the election and a new Coalition, Ireland's budgetary position looks much more precarious as the impacts of Donald Trump's tariffs ripple across the globe, with Ireland and its bounteous corporation tax revenue particularly vulnerable. As a result, as Cliff Taylor notes, the Government has considerably less room to manoeuvre this year in terms of tax cuts than last year, and the mooted cut in VAT for hospitality is likely to eat up most of the available resources. The move has the potential to become a big political issue. Firstly, there is likely to be much less by way of an income tax package for households. As Taylor notes: 'If income tax bands and credits are not adjusted for inflation each year, then taxpayers end up seeing a bit more of their income taken in tax – for example due to a higher proportion of their income being payable at the higher 40 per cent rate.' Just doing nothing, the tax burden creeps higher. Secondly, other SMEs may wonder why they are being left out. And finally customers are unlikely to see much by way of a benefit, other than holding down the rate of inflation they face while eating and drinking out, at least for a while. And what of the benefit for the hospitality sector? The sector remains under pressure with regular reports of businesses closing down, with high costs a frequently cited factor. However, the sector faces a wide range of domestic price pressures, including sharply rising food prices and stubbornly high energy and insurance costs. The more challenging issue for the sector and the Government is that Ireland is now the second most expensive country in the European Union with only Danes expected to pay more for a range of goods and services. When it comes to alcohol and tobacco, prices here are the most expensive, while food and non-alcoholic drink prices in Ireland are third highest in the EU, though this is a slight improvement on recent years. This is likely to be a factor in the decline in inbound tourism – a key pillar for the hospitality sector - this year, with the Central Statistics Office reporting a 4 per cent fall in tourism numbers in April and a 10 per cent decline in spending. While a VAT rate cut may provide short-term relief for the hospitality sector, it is unlikely to deal with the structural challenges it faces. Five Key Reads Annie McCarrick's family in Long Island speak out: 'The gardaí did not investigate who we thought was guilty in the very beginning' - The mother, aunt and oldest friend of the American woman who went missing in Ireland in 1993 talk about how they would take comfort in having their long-standing belief validated. Family Fallouts: 'I can't describe the heartache of not having a relationship with my sister' - When sibling relationships fall apart, it can have devastating consequences on our emotional wellbeing and our physical health. Roe McDermott explores how sibling bonds can become emotionally charged, distant, or even estranged - and the impact this can have. Dolores McNamara: Whatever happened to the €115m lotto winner? This week the country was gripped by the news that an Irish winner had scooped a €250 million EuroMillions jackpot. To mark the occasion, Conor Pope reflects on the fortunes of Limerick woman Dolores McNamara, who won the then largest ever EuroMillions jackpot of €115 million in 2005. The tale encompasses country estates, possibly misguided foreign investments, and security. How AIB came back from the brink: Sixteen years after its initial rescue amid the crash, AIB - once worth less than its art collection - returned this week to full private ownership as the Government sold its final 2 per cent stake to market investors. The Irish bank is now hugely profitable, but, as Joe Brennan writes, the legacy of the bailout still lingers. How the death of an 'old boy from Ireland' in London-Irish suburb sparked a misguided viral appeal: A handwritten notice in a shop window of the death and upcoming funeral of Sligo man Martin Fallon in London recently triggered a well-intentioned but misguided campaign to find Fallon's family. Mark Paul examined what the viral campaign got wrong, as well as Fallon's life story and what it says about the changing nature of a London-Irish enclave. As always, there is much more on , including rundowns of all the latest movies in our film reviews , tips for the best restaurants in our food section and all the latest in sport . There are plenty more articles exclusively available for Irish Times subscribers here . We value your views. Please feel free to send comments, feedback or suggestions for topics you would like to see covered to feedback@ .
Irish Daily Star
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Star
NATO's 'grotesque gesture at glorified baby' Trump covers up alarming threat
There are many indignities a NATO Secretary General might endure in the name of diplomacy - backroom compromises, bruising negotiations, and the occasional awkward photo op with despots in suits. But calling Donald Trump 'daddy' isn't one of them. At least, it never was until Mark Rutte arrived. The former Dutch prime minister and now NATO's top official referred to Trump as 'daddy' - a grotesque, grovelling gesture that might have raised eyebrows in a diplomatic dispatch but instead exploded into public farce during a high-stakes summit of alliance leaders. 'Sometimes daddy has to use strong words,' Rutte beamed, defending Trump's crude outburst in front of reporters, where the president shouted, 'They don't know what the f--- they're doing,' in reference to the Iran-Israel ceasefire fiasco he claims to have masterminded. It comes as new dementia fears were raised about Donald Trump after viewers spotted a mysterious clue in his suit . Read More Related Articles Lip reader reveals world leaders' brutal 6-letter gossip about Trump Read More Related Articles Donald Trump branded 'dumbest President ever' after six-word comment about Congo Forget diplomacy. Forget leadership. NATO, under Rutte, has started to resemble a glorified babysitting service for a toddler with nuclear launch codes. It would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous. Rutte's nauseating sycophancy is not just a personal humiliation, it's a strategic collapse. Trump posing with other world leaders (Image: AFP via Getty Images) At a moment when the alliance should be asserting its independence and clarity of mission, it has instead wrapped itself around Trump's ego like a silk cravat on a noose. Gone is the guarded caution of past NATO heads. In its place, we now have something akin to Joseph Goebbels writing fan mail to Hitler - an image that feels uncomfortably close when you read the actual text message Rutte sent to Trump, which the president gleefully published. 'Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran,' Rutte wrote, referring to Trump's unilateral bombing campaign. 'That was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do. It makes us all safer.' It doesn't. And Rutte surely knows that. The strikes were condemned as reckless and 'unwise and unnecessary' by senior officials, who warned they could provoke the very conflict they were supposedly meant to deter. Trump's claim to have held the Israel-Iran ceasefire together lasted barely 24 hours. Rutte's message, meanwhile, read less like praise and more like erotic fiction. 'You are flying into another big success in The Hague this evening… Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment… You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done.' Who knew the nuclear deterrence strategy of the West hinged on breathless love notes? What makes Rutte's behaviour particularly grotesque is the sheer hypocrisy of it. As Dutch prime minister, he consistently failed to meet NATO's defence spending target of two per cent of gross domestic product. Now, in his desperate quest to stay in Trump's favour, he's bragging about getting European leaders to commit to a staggering five per cent of GDP on defence - a militaristic fantasy straight from Trump's own wet dreams. Rutte has gone from pragmatic European liberal to a kind of grinning courtier, performing loyalty rituals for an emperor with no clothes. President Donald Trump seemed to get red-faced (Image: Getty Images) He's not the only one, of course. NATO leaders have spent the latest summit tiptoeing around Trump like terrified interns trying not to spill coffee on a tantrum-prone CEO. The summit was stripped down to three hours. The official communique was slashed to a single page. Not to streamline diplomacy, but to avoid provoking Trump into one of his trademark rage exits. It would be comical if the stakes weren't existential. The alliance was forged to deter tyranny, defend liberal democracy, and confront authoritarianism. Under Rutte, it is flirting with all three. The Secretary General's job is to unify 31 nations in a common cause, not whisper sweet nothings to a man who once threatened to pull America out of the alliance entirely. What kind of message does this send to allies? To Russia? To Iran? To China? That NATO no longer leads, it follows - not strategy, not principle, but personality. And that the only way to hold the West together is to soothe the tantrums of a man who treats global diplomacy like reality TV. We can't afford this. NATO is not Mar-a-Lago with fighter jets. Its credibility is fragile, its mission vital, and its unity under threat from within. Mark Rutte was supposed to bring experience and backbone to the role. Instead, he's turned NATO into a stage for Trump's delusions. While porn star Stormy Daniels may have once called Trump 'daddy', Rutte's humiliation came without even taking off his clothes.
