Shock as Cabinet member swats at MAGA rep’s butt on Trumpalooza stage
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner drew immediate online scrutiny after appearing to swat at Representative Anna Paulina Luna‘s rear end on Wednesday, September 9, as they crossed paths at the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, Texas.
The brief moment was captured on video as Turner exited the stage and Luna, a Florida Republican, approached the podium for her remarks. Video footage showed Turner extending his arm downward and backward in Luna’s direction. Luna showed no visible reaction and continued toward the microphone.
The moment became the subject of widespread social media commentary within hours of the convention. Turner was the first Cabinet secretary to speak at the two-day “Trumpapalooza” event, which kicked off Wednesday in what organizers billed as a rally to energize Republican voters before November’s midterm elections.
X erupted with reactions
Several users rushed to attack Turner, while some maintained that the video didn’t actually prove that he did swat at her. “The Venn diagram of MAGA men and sexual assault is one big circle.” one user wrote, while another added, “Well it’s quite fitting for Trumpalooza, no?”
The video quality and speed of the moment left room for interpretation among viewers, with some convinced Turner had made contact and others suggesting he had stopped short of doing so.
One observer joked that Turner, a former National Football League player who spent nine seasons playing for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos, simply “forgot it’s not the s***p club.”
Pro-Trump social media accounts and other online users questioned whether Turner had actually made contact, with one account calling the near-miss “the absolute save of the century.” .
Scott Turner’s past criticism
Turner was confirmed by the Senate on February 5, 2025, as the 19th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He represented Texas’s 33rd District in the state legislature from 2013 to 2017 and has served as an Associate Pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, his hometown.
His tenure as HUD Secretary has drawn scrutiny from many people, esoecially because of his stances on homelessness and immigration policy. His office has faced criticism for efforts to reshape a Biden-era homelessness fund and for his historical statements characterized as anti-immigrant.
Luna’s position within the MAGA movement
The Florida representative, who represents the state’s 13th congressional district, has positioned herself as a fierce advocate for conservative causes and anti-corruption efforts.
She serves on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and chairs the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets. Luna is the first Mexican-American woman elected to represent Florida in Congress and has built a following among MAGA-aligned Republicans since winning her seat in 2022.
She was reelected in 2024 and remains one of Trump’s most visible allies in the House, earning the administration’s endorsement during her recent primary race.
More details on the Trumpapalooza
The convention brought together Cabinet members, members of Congress, candidates, donors, and political operatives for a two-day show of party unity ahead of November’s elections.
Early programming drew noticeably sparse attendance, with multiple news outlets reporting empty sections of seating as Cabinet secretaries and other speakers addressed the crowd.
Donald Trump himself delivered remarks on Wednesday and will do so on Thursday again, with Vice President J.D. Vance set to close out the convention Thursday evening.