Here's the real story behind the TIME photo shoot where a bald eagle attacked Donald Trump
Courtesy Jonathan Wood
On Wednesday, TIME released footage of the August cover shoot that included the eagle lunging at Trump, who flinched in terror. It also showed the eagle flipping Trump's hair while on his shoulder.
Trump told Fox News Thursday he wasn't "really" scared of the majestic bird.
"I'm doing this for the cover of TIME magazine," he said during the photo shoot. "I love TIME magazine. What you will do for a cover - this bird is seriously dangerous, but beautiful."
Wood, who has been Uncle Sam's handler for more than 20 years, said on that day, his bird was extra "cranky." He had just spent a flight from Dallas to New York locked away in cargo. Plus, Uncle Sam is missing part of his wing and is blind in one eye. He has a very difficult time balancing himself.
Trump was one of the only people to ever hold Uncle Sam on his shoulder, Wood said, adding that the bird's bad day and physical handicaps would add up to make that shot nearly impossible to go smoothly. That's when Uncle Sam messed with Trump's hair.
"I already knew that it was going to be a very difficult thing to do and I said that to Mr. Trump," he told INSIDER.
Wood added that, when the eagle tried to bite Trump, causing the candidate to lunge away in fear, he had forgotten to mention something very important.
Uncle Sam, as bald eagles do, would claim any space it's set on as its territory. And he would try to defend it.
"I forgot to tell Mr. Trump about that whole territorial thing cause the bird was sitting off kind of to the side," he said, adding the bird only bluffs like it's going to bite.
Uncle Sam hadn't bit anybody in the 20 years Wood has handled him, he said.
The bald eagle has been a part of a fair share of photo shoots in the past, previously posing with Stephen Colbert and former President Bill Clinton. Uncle Sam even met Donald Trump earlier this year at one of his golf courses.
Courtesy Jonathan Wood
"I had the honor of actually helping ya know, fix Donald Trump's hair," he said. "So I'm the member of a very exclusive club of people that have actually touched his hair. And it's real."
- Top temples to visit in India you must visit atleast once in a lifetime
- Top 10 adventure sports across India: Where to experience them in 2024
- Market recap: Valuation of 6 of top 10 firms declines by Rs 68,417 cr; Airtel biggest laggard
- West Bengal Elections: Rift among INDIA bloc partners triggers three-cornered intense contests
- Angel Investing Opportunities
- Nothing Phone (2a) blue edition launched
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market