Trump praises 16-year-old lifeguard who saved a boy in California, then bashes a CNN reporter
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The meeting between a teen lifeguard who rescued a 10-year-old boy and President Trump on Monday had two distinct portions of programming.
There was the feel-good portion, when Trump praised 16-year-old Ryder Williams, who rescued the boy in Santa Cruz last month and was told on Monday he’d receive a “high civilian honor” for the rescue.
Then there was the part when, as the teen and the 10-year-old looked on, Trump ridiculed a CNN reporter, hushing her and telling her she was being “very disrespectful in front of this young man.”
“Don’t you find her disrespectful?” he said, glancing at the younger boy, who didn’t respond.
Trump then turned his attention back to the reporter, called her “boisterous” and told her to “be quiet” before calling on someone else for a question.
The moment was a stark contrast from the beginning of the meeting, when Trump introduced Ryder and the child he saved.
“We’re honored to have all of you. And again, what you did was incredible,” Trump told Ryder during the livestreamed meeting Monday. “And everybody saw it. And you’d watch it over and over. I know when I first saw it, I said, ‘Roll that back, I want to see that again. Is that really happening?’”
Video of the July 25 rescue went viral last month after Ryder saved 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai, who was caught in the surf at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz. Ryder clung onto Nathaniel as waves repeatedly crashed over them.
Another lifeguard, Aaron Bohnen, helped get them both back to shore.
A 16-year-old lifeguard in his first summer on the job helped rescue a child from pounding waves in Santa Cruz. His efforts drew widespread praise from California to the White House.
Nathaniel’s father, Sumit Rai, was also at the meeting and thanked Williams, saying that he’s “beyond grateful” for the rescue.
Trump re-shared the original video in a post on X — calling the teen a “heroic young man” who he hopes will return to the White House to be properly honored for his valor.
“Very brave, he deserves it!” the president said.
Ryder said in a statement after the rescue that he was just doing his job.
“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to return the child to his family safely,” Ryder said in a statement. “This is my job and I love what I do. I’m thankful to my fellow lifeguards who perform rescues just like this every day.”
At the Oval Office on Monday, Trump told Nathaniel: “He’s a real hero. I don’t know if I’d do it.
“I wouldn’t, probably. You’re lucky I wasn’t on the service that day.”
Ryder told the president that he wants to be a firefighter someday.
“I want to be a firefighter in the future, hopefully go through paramedic school,” he said.
“We’ll give recommendations,” Trump replied.
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