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The Coldplay kiss-cam misfire

In July 2025, Rep. Nancy Mace tried to use the viral Coldplay kiss-cam video, in which Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot ducked away from the camera, as a pro-Trump economic meme. Critics immediately noted that the couple in the clip recoiled and hid their faces, inverting the point she meant to make.

Nancy Mace Coldplay meme, PinkNews coverage
Nancy Mace Coldplay meme, PinkNews coverage · PinkNews

On July 19, 2025, Rep. Nancy Mace posted to X a screenshot of the moment that had captivated the internet: Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and the company's head of human resources, Kristin Cabot, caught on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert in Wisconsin and quickly ducking out of frame, a moment Coldplay frontman Chris Martin described as the pair being "either having an affair or very shy." The incident had already spawned hundreds of parody posts.

Mace's contribution labeled Byron "Trump's Economy" and Cabot "American Born Workers," writing: "Employment among American-born workers is up nearly 2 million jobs since January. Thank you [Donald Trump]." The intended message was a celebratory economic point in Trump's favor. Critics immediately noted the problem: in the actual clip, the two people on screen recoil and hide from each other, making Mace's meme read as Trump's economy and American workers flinching and ducking away. The mockery was swift and widespread. PinkNews described it as an "embarrassing meme-posting gaff." Yahoo News headlined coverage: "'Uhhh, What?': Nancy Mace's Trump-Coldplay Kiss Cam Meme Leaves Critics Baffled."

Mace's original post (verified, tweet ID 1946385796275081725 confirmed in PinkNews article HTML):

Mace's post using the Coldplay kiss-cam screenshot as a pro-Trump economic meme, the couple in the image recoils and hides from the camera, inverting her point.

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