Fact Check: Did viral video show Donald Trump Jr using cocaine at his father's inauguration?

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump's eldest son Donald Trump Jr was seen getting emotional during his father's inauguration on Monday, January 2020. Don Jr was seen with teary eyes and giving emotional expressions in a viral clip. 

However, that was not the only viral video of Don Jr that had people's attention online. An online rumor claimed that a video authentically shows Donald Trump Jr using cocaine at Trump's second inauguration. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: Video shows Don Jr using cocaine at Donald Trump's inauguration

A rumor circulating online claimed a video captured Donald Trump Jr using cocaine in public during his father's Inauguration Day ceremony on January 20.

A TikTok user posted a clip from the view of someone moving close to a TV to only show Trump Jr on the left side of the screen. In the video, Trump Jr can be seen leaning down and out of view, obscured by a person in the foreground.

He then leans back up and smiles. Notably, the person who made the clip did not show the middle and right sides of what was visible on the TV screen during the key moment.

The person captioned the post, "Don Jr. is not a sly guy. It's all noticable [sic], all the time. #boogersugar #devilsdandruff #Donjr #scarfcenot."

Moreover, the clip also displayed the words, "Getting a bump of that devil's dandruff" - which is slang for cocaine. A user also posted the same clip on X (formerly Twitter), and captioned it, "Surely not right there in front of everyone?"

False: Don Jr leaned down to speak to JD Vance's mother

The claims made in the viral TikTok video are completely false as the original video showed Donald Trump Jr leaning down to speak to Beverly Aikins, Vice President JD Vance's mother, who was seated in a chair, according to Snopes.

Notably, ABC News published the complete Inauguration Day coverage in a YouTube video lasting nearly 12 hours. The viral moment from the TikTok and X posts starts at the 3:39:10 mark.

In the original video, the broadcast shows Trump Jr leaning down to speak to Beverly Aikins who sat behind her son. The vice president's mother wore red and sat to the right of Vance's wife, second lady Usha Vance.

Moreover, at the 3:29:44 mark of the video. a panning shot clearly depicts Donald Trump Jr next to Aikins and at the 3:38:42 mark, Vance enters and obscures Aikins from the broadcast camera's view, per the outlet.

Donald Trump Jr gets emotional during his father's inauguration event

Donald Trump Jr was seen getting all teared-up and emotional during his father's inauguration on Monday in Washington, DC. He was spotted via TV news broadcasts getting all emotional.

The video went viral on X where Don Jr was seen giving several emotions in the 26-second clip. Notably, it was part of the same clip that went viral accusing him of using cocaine.

Moreover, ahead of his dad being sworn into office, He took to X, and stated, "Have you ever been more excited about a Monday? American strength is back."

Meanwhile, President Trump claimed during his inauguration speech that he was "saved by God to make America great again" after two separate assassination attempts took place in 2024.

Trump said as he discussed the first assassination attempt, "They've tried to take my freedom and take my life, just a few months ago in a beautiful Pennsylvania field. An assassin's bullet ripped through my ear. What I felt then and even more now, my life was saved for a reason."