Teetotal US President Donald Trump has been pictured apparently drinking from a glass of red wine at a UN luncheon toast.
Mr Trump has been publicly anti-alcohol since his brother Fred Jr died from chronic alcoholism aged 41. He has claimed in the past that the entire Trump family is completely sober because of this.
But after leading a toast to the "great, great potential" of the United Nations after his speech to the General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump sipped what looked like red wine from a glass before handing it to an aide.
He later took another sip after raising his glass to UN Secretary General António Gutteres.
Trump’s drink did not go unmissed on social media. NBC journalist Ryan Beckler posted a gif of the moment on Twitter:
But he pointed out that it was unclear whether Trump actually swallowed the liquid.
NPR lead politics editor Domenico Montanaro said it could be coke in the glass, one of the President’s favourite beverages.
NBC News journalist Katy Tur rejected speculation that it could be grape juice:
One person posted a photo for closer analysis:
Mr Trump has spoken out in the past about how his brother pleaded with him not to drink. “He would tell me constantly, ‘Don't drink,’” Mr Trump said in a “60 Minutes” interview two years ago.
“And I've never had a drink. I own the largest winery on the East Coast and yet I don't drink, which is a little weird. But he said, ‘Don't drink. Don't smoke.’ And he would tell me all the time.”
He makes an exception at holy communion.
When asked at a 2015 Family Leadership Summit if he ever asks for forgiveness, he said: “When we go in church and I drink the little wine, which is about the only wine I drink, and I eat the little cracker."
