
The White House screened the film “Finding Dory” on Sunday afternoon, as hundreds gathered outside to protest his immigration ban.
President Trump's White House screened the Disney Pixar film for staff and family in the afternoon amid massive backlash against his executive order prohibiting foreign nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S.
The White House announced the screening of the movie, about a fish who searches for her lost parents, in its official schedule for the president.
In between foreign leader phone calls today, Pres Trump hosting a movie screening in the Family Theater. WH aide says it's "Finding Dory."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) January 29, 2017
White House staff and family members watched the film at 3 p.m. while hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered across the country to protest Trump’s executive order.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump only popped into the screening for a minute.
“Actually he spent 60 seconds welcoming & thanking spouses & children of WH staff then right back to work: up next 7pmcall w South Korea,” Spicer tweets in response to a report on the screening.
Actually he spent 60 seconds welcoming & thanking spouses & children of WH staff then right back to work: up next 7pm call w South Korea https://t.co/opr1NVRZsj
— Sean Spicer (@PressSec) January 29, 2017
The executive order, which Trump signed on Friday, also prohibited Syrian refugees from entering the U.S. for an indefinite amount of time.
Social media users criticized the screening on Sunday.
The nation is in turmoil over the Executive Order, and @POTUS @realDonaldTrump will be watching @findingdory. https://t.co/snpcZJuU2k
— Derry London ✈️ (@Derry_London) January 29, 2017
Meanwhile in the White House, Trump is watching "Finding Dory" with his unvetted staffers and their families. https://t.co/tLSoAhgh7g
— Fernando Espuelas (@EspuelasVox) January 29, 2017
This afternoon, Trump will host family & staff for a screening of "Finding Dory". I shit you not.
— Peter Zizzo (@pzizzo) January 29, 2017
If you wonder what Trump will be doing today during a potential constitutional crisis that he'd have triggered – he's watching Finding Dory https://t.co/aX7GXzLwZj
— Zachary Alfred (@ZacAlf) January 29, 2017
Trump is screening "Finding Dory" today: the story of a foreigner entering the U.S. without authorization to reunite with her parents #Irony pic.twitter.com/FKU7ItiPod
— Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44) January 29, 2017