A woman seated behind Lt. Col Alexander Vindman as he testified during Tuesday’s impeachment hearings against Donald Trump at the House Intelligence Committee unwittingly caused a viral moment when she was caught on camera tilting her head back and chugging a large cup of coffee.
The brunette in glasses stirred up more than a few laughs, as she appeared to glance over at the camera before turning and proceeding to finish her coffee with a flourish.
Watching this mysterious woman chug her coffee, notice she’s on camera, and then finish chugging it is a lot more interesting than the actual testimony. #ImpeachmentHearing #impeachment #CNN pic.twitter.com/FmdB61vzfH
— Patrick Ward (@Spaz696969) November 19, 2019
Some viewers later identified the coffee drinker as McClatchy Congress reporter Emma Dumain. The woman was later quoted by The Post as saying:
“Yes, I can confirm.”
The “viral coffee moment” brewed up a slew of comments on social media, with many finding the woman highly “relatable.”
Very relatable. Me every morning.
— RealOaktownGirl (@LJenningsYoung) November 20, 2019
Addiction is a powerful thing
— Mistermister (@ManDing90403) November 20, 2019
When the coffee is just that good pic.twitter.com/8vPBoIY34H
— Colin Jones (@colinjones) November 19, 2019
The lady downing the coffee behind Lt Col Vindman is my hero. #ImpeachmentHearing
— Cheeto Dust (@PrplPolitics117) November 19, 2019
Some were concerned the woman was showing symptoms of the flu.
Her red nose indicates cold like symptoms, most likely lack of sleep, thus need for that last drop NOW!! 👍🏼
— Xpatgrl (@xpatgrl) November 20, 2019
I was watching and saw her do this. I thought "I hope she was able to bring a jug in with her so she could refill her cup. She seems kinda desperate for that caffeine!" hahaha
— Jennifer (@TomsMom1997) November 20, 2019
Some on social media were inspired to produce memes.
The best part of impeaching Trump
— Rebecca Partin🐺 (@rapartin93) November 20, 2019
Is Folgers in your cup! pic.twitter.com/G2AaAl7iJL
Others deplored the way a new social media following is sparked by such mundane moments:
Of course she has and knew she would. We are so predictable 😒
— StayLifted (@Imnewtothishere) November 20, 2019
Senior US National Security Council staffer Alexander Vindman was one of four officials to testify on Tuesday, 19 November, in the ongoing public impeachment hearings against Donald Trump.
The others were Jennifer Williams, foreign policy aide to Vice President Mike Pence, Tim Morrison, former National Security Council official on Russia and Europe policy, and Kurt Volker, the former US special representative to Ukraine.
Last week saw the start of public hearings in the House of Representatives after the Democrats launched an impeachment investigation against the president in September.
The move followed a complaint by an anonymous intelligence community whistleblower that claimed Donald Trump may have abused his office by allegedly pressuring Ukraine’s president in a 25 July phone call to restart an investigation into the possible illegal activities of his political rival Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden in Ukraine.
The Democrats claim Trump threatened to withhold some $400 million in military aid to Ukraine unless the Biden investigation was restarted, in a “quid-pro-quo” attempt to “get dirt” on former Vice President Joe Biden, a 2020 presidential candidate.
Trump promptly released a transcript of the aforementioned phone conversation and said that there was no quid pro quo in his dealings with Ukraine.
He rejected all claims of wrongdoing, dismissing the impeachment process as a “witch hunt.”
