Secret Agenda? Donald Trump’s hot mic exchange with Supreme Court justice ignites frenzied conspiracy theories and speculation; what was really said?

US president Donald Trump's short conversation with Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts has sparked a whirlwind of speculation and conspiracy theories after a hot mic picked up on the exchange minutes before Trump gave his presidential address to Congress, reported Daily Mail.

What appeared to be a relaxed greeting soon became a topic of controversy among Trump's critics, with some going so far as to imply there were ulterior motives behind the exchange.

That moment came when Trump and Roberts had a brief handshake before the president stepped onto the stage to speak to the nation. A microphone strategically positioned caught Trump saying, "Thank you again. Thank you again. Won't forget it," while he patted Roberts on the arm, as per Daily Mail report. This launched wild speculation by liberal pundits and political commentators.

Critics jump to conclusions

Media outlets such as The Daily Beast and HuffPost were quick to speculate on the nature of Trump's thankfulness, although nothing was yet certain by the time the outlets published their reports, as per Daily Mail.

The Daily Beast pondered why Trump's expression of gratitude seemed to correspond with the Supreme Court's recent history of ruling in his favor, reported Daily Mail. While HuffPost went even further, implying Trump had been secretly handed a "get-out-of-jail-free card" by Roberts, according to Daily Mail. HuffPost wrote the speculative article with the headline; "Donald Trump Rips The Mask Off Of John Roberts' Court In One Sentence."

Trump defends himself against 'sleazebag' conspiracies

In reaction to the outrage, Trump went on social media to debunk the conspiracy theories, accusing the media of pitting him against the US Supreme Court, as per Daily Mail. He claimed that the critics had never contacted his office to seek clarification before making conclusions, according to the report. The president branded the media as "sleazebags," and said , "If they had I would have told these sleazebag 'journalists' that I thanked him for SWEARING ME IN ON INAUGURATION DAY, AND DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB IN SO DOING! The Fake News never quits!" quoted Daily Mail.

FAQs

What sparked the controversy with Trump and Justice Roberts?
A hot mic caught President Trump saying, "Thank you again. Thank you again. Won’t forget it," to Justice Roberts, leading to speculation about the nature of their exchange.

How did Trump respond to the conspiracy theories?
Trump dismissed the theories on social media, calling out the media for baseless speculation and accusing them of creating a divide between him and the Supreme Court.