Last Updated on June 21, 2021
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had a fly land on her head during a press conference today, adding herself to the list of US politicians and government officials who had similar interactions with the insects in the past.
During a White House press conference today, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was told by a reporter that a fly was resting on top of her head. Upon hearing the news, Psaki frantically swatted the insect and said “at least it’s not a cicada.”
NOW – Reporter: "I think there's a fly on your head."pic.twitter.com/XT0v1w0AGZ
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) June 21, 2021
After Psaki discussed rising inflation rates and vaccines, an observant reporter tells the Press Secretary “I think there’s a fly on your head..”
Psaki immediately moves to brush the fly out of her hair. “Oh thank you,” she said. “At least it’s not a cicada.”
Many Americans would recall a similar instance during the 2020 Vice Presidential debate, in which a fly landed on the head of disgraced former Vice President Mike Pence, who experts say committed a series of constitutional violations in the following months after the November election.
Is it bad we’re still laughing at the fly on Mike Pence’s head at the VP debate? pic.twitter.com/dsxxNJuZCi
— The Recount (@therecount) October 11, 2020
Pence was recently heckled with chants of “TRAITOR!” while speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Summit, as National File reported.
During a 2016 Presidential Debate against former President Donald Trump, Americans were stunned to see a fly land on an unphased Hillary Clinton who, unlike Psaki, made no effort to avoid the insect as it repeatedly landed on her clothes and face.
The Hillary fly. Not as fun as the Bernie bird. pic.twitter.com/u8mg6fJB4n
— sam (@_summerfreeze) October 10, 2016
For some reason, flies seem to be attracted US politicians and government officials live on air. Viewers watched in horror as Senator Ted Cruz ate one on live television alongside Sean Hannity, as seen in an old clip that resurfaced on Twitter with the hashtag #ToadCruz.
Ted Cruz LITERALLY Ate a Fly on Live TV because Ted Cruz is #ToadCruz (BTW this is 100% real and it's from Fox News last night- you can see the fly crawl into Cruz's mouth) pic.twitter.com/BXoVDBPq77
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) May 27, 2021
The phenomenon can be traced further back to the era of former President Barack Obama, who caught a fly mid-interview, strangely drawing praise from his supporters.
A reminder that even under President Obama, a fly got dealt with more effectively that Trump/Pence. #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/PvWQ49qvYM
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) October 8, 2020
Flies are known to feed off dead cells and rotting flesh. Additionally, historians have pointed out that “in the Biblical plague of Egypt, flies represent death and decay. The Philistine God Beelzebub’s name, (often equated with Satan), means Lord of the Flies. In Greek mythology Zeus sent a fly to bite Pegasus, the winged horse, causing his rider Bellerophon to fall back to earth when he was attempting to fly to Mount Olympus the home of the gods.”
