Former President George W. Bush is known for speaking his mind, but he’s playing coy on his assessment of President Donald Trump’s inaugural address.
The former president was asked about a New York Magazine report that he said “that was some weird s***” as he left the dais following the January speech.
“If I said it, I don’t remember it,” Bush told NPR in an interview that aired Thursday. “But I’m glad I went to the inauguration. You know, it’s really a beautiful experience to watch the peaceful transfer of power.”
Pressed on whether the blunt characterization accurately described his reaction, the country’s 43rd president responded: “You know, I just don’t remember … but what should characterize my reaction is the beautiful experience.”
Bush also addressed another inauguration moment — his struggle to put on his rain poncho.
“I wish that I’d gotten the rain poncho on a little more cleanly,” Bush told NPR’s David Greene. “My daughters were aghast. ‘Dad, you’re a national tweet sensation’ or whatever they say. ‘You’re trending,’ or whatever the words are.”
“And I said, ‘I don’t know what the heck that means,'” Bush added. “But then I saw the pictures and I can see why I was trending.”
