Trump spotted holding list of ways to sound human while talking to shooting survivors

"What would you most want me to know about your experience?"
 By 
Brian Koerber
 on 
Trump spotted holding list of ways to sound human while talking to shooting survivors
President Donald Trump takes part in a listening session on gun violence with teachers and students in the State Dining Room of the White House on Feb. 21, 2018. Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

In the wake of a school shooting which left 17 people dead in Parkland, Florida, the White House held a listening session with President Trump and the victims and parents of gun violence in schools on Wednesday.

Apparently, Trump needed some notes on how to sound like a compassionate human.

While it's not uncommon for a president to have notes, especially during a sensitive session such as talking to survivors of a deadly mass shooting, Trump accidentally flashed one of the sheets to the room, and it was essentially a list of compassionate responses written by someone other than the president. (Trump reportedly writes in uppercase letters.) Photographer Chip Somodevilla managed to snap part of the list for Getty Images.

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Trump was spotted holding a list of compassionate responses while meeting with gun violence survivors at a listening session on Wednesday. Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Below are three of the notes scribbled on Trump's list. Trump's hands are blocking notes numbered three and four.

1. What would you most want me to know about your experience?

2. What can we do [to] help you feel [safe]?

5. I hear you.

Trump faced heavy criticism last week when he posed for smiling photos after meeting with victims and first responders from last week's shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School. It's not surprising someone from his team would pass him some notes, especially considering his tendencies to go off script.

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President Donald Trump picks up a pile of notes while in a listening session with gun violence survivors. Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump can be seen picking up the paper, after asking the room if they had any solutions to combat gun violence in school, though it's unclear if he read any of the responses off the list.

Regardless, when the photo was revealed, plenty of people on Twitter had some criticisms for the president.

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Brian Koerber

Brian was the Culture Editor and has been working at Mashable on the web culture desk since 2014.

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