Dylan Remington, freshman business management major, does his impression of President Donald Trump at a competition to imitate him near the Addition Financial Arena on Monday. Remington won first place for his imitation, receiving a $25 Wawa gift card and a certificate.
Joshua-Paul Estabalaya
Students gathered in the afternoon heat near Addition Financial Arena on Monday, some in suits, ties and caps, to perform impressions of President Donald Trump in an imitation contest.
More than 70 people attended the contest, which flyers advertised as “not political” and “only for fun.” The event began with its 13 contestants and five judges singing “YMCA” by Village People while mimicking the president’s voice. Contestants then gave their Trump impressions on an elevated platform.
During the contest, sophomore integrated business major Trace Welch, the event organizer and one of its judges, imitated Trump’s typical golf-playing attire by wearing a polo shirt and carrying a golf club. Other judges dressed like fictional depictions of Trump, such as him as Superman and Rocky Balboa.
Welch, who sometimes posts Instagram reels of himself mimicking Trump, said the president’s “funny” voice and mannerisms made him want to host a competition to imitate him specifically.
“I feel it’s kind of hard [to mimic] a lot of these political figures because they just talk normally, despite what they say,” Welch said. “The way Trump talks is just so funny, like how can I not impersonate him?”
Welch said he had hosted the Trump impression contest because of a friend’s suggestion.
“Some of my friends, we have a little inside joke where we just talk to each other in the Trump voice just for fun,” Welch said. “One of my friends said, ‘Oh, you should host a Trump impression competition,’ and I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s a great idea.’”
Welch added that previous one-off campus events, such as last year’s “meowing” and “performative masc” contests, inspired him to host something similar.
“Moments like that… [make] UCF a more unique place,” Welch said. “I’ve gone to other college campuses, and they don’t do stuff like this. I just think it’s so cool that all these things — these contests, these weird, wacky events — happen at UCF, and I’m just happy to be able to contribute to it.”
Students near the Addition Financial Arena watch and record contestants singing “YMCA” by Village People in a competition to mimic President Donald Trump on Monday. More than 70 people showed up to the contest, with 13 competing.
Joshua-Paul Estabalaya
Dylan Remington, freshman business management major, won first place. After the competition, Remington said he was surprised to win the contest, continuing to speak in Trump’s voice as he reacted to the result.
“Quite frankly, I thought there were like four other contestants that would have done better than me. But we prevailed, and I think it’s quite an honor,” Remington said.
Remington, who said he’s been mimicking Trump’s voice since high school, wore a blond wig and a blue suit with a red tie during the contest. He added that the contest was a “fun time.”
Students participating in a Donald Trump impression competition sing “Y.M.C.A.” by Village People near the Addition Financial Arena on Monday. Thirteen students competed in the contest, with the first place winner earning a $25 Wawa gift card.
Joshua-Paul Estabalaya
For winning first place, Remington received a certificate and a $25 Wawa gift card, which Welch said he and the other judges selected as the competition’s prize due to high gas prices from the war in Iran.
Remington said he often shops at Wawa, so he will likely use the gift card to buy food or gas, noting prices at the pump have increased.
“It’s very generous for a competition like this to have an actual, kind-of-cash prize,” Remington said. “I used to be able to fill up [my gas tank] completely for about $44. Now that’s about $52 to $54, and sometimes it can go up to $58.”
After the competition, Welch said it went “pretty good” and that contestants were “respectful for the most part.” However, he said some “might have gone too far politically.”
“There were a few remarks about Israel,” Welch said. “And when my Hispanic friend introduced himself as ‘Donaldo Trumpito,’ some of the contestants shouted ‘ICE, ICE.’ I was like, ‘That’s a little bit not okay.’”
Welch said he aimed to host the competition without politicizing it.
“That’s one of the big things I’m wanting to hammer home, just because I don’t want to start any conflict,” Welch said. “I just want it to be strictly for fun. People come, they do their little, funny impression and then that’s it.”
Trace Welch (left), sophomore integrated business major, and Matthew Woodward, sophomore biomedical sciences major, dance during a competition to imitate President Donald Trump near the Addition Financial Arena on Monday. Both students were two of the five judges who picked the top three contestants based on their performances.
Joshua-Paul Estabalaya
Welch said his favorite part of the competition was singing “YMCA” with the contestants and his fellow judges.
“Just seeing everyone in their costumes was really funny,” Welch said.
Fellipe Delano Fischer, senior legal studies major, won second place, while Enzo Torlone, senior game design major, placed third. Both received certificates and said they had learned about the competition on Instagram.
“It’s one of my last weeks here before graduating,” Torlone said. “Quite frankly, it’s so fun to do all these voices. I think it went really well.”
Fischer said the competition also went well, though he described turnout as “moderate” compared with last year’s “meowing contest.”
“If it wasn’t around finals, maybe more people would’ve showed up,” Fischer said.
Although Remington said he would like to see a Trump impression competition held annually, Murphy Ballard, junior integrated business major and one of the contest’s judges, said future events should not be based on politicians.
“We should do a subculture, just like how they did the ‘performative masc contest,’” Ballard said. “Or we could do just some random character, like [someone from] ‘South Park’ or ‘Smiling Friends.’”
Welch also said he would like to host similar events in the future with different themes.
“I would love to have more stuff like this, just little things that happen on campus… [where] people come, they show up, have fun for a bit and then get back to their daily lives, just a little break from the real world,” Welch said.