No, Trump did not watch ‘Finding Dory’ during Sunday’s protests, press secretary says

While thousands across the country protested against the president’s travel ban from seven Muslim-majority countries, the White House hosted a screening of “Finding Dory” on Sunday.

The hit follows the adventures of a blue tang fish named Dory as she travels from Australia to America to reunite with her family.

The thought of Donald Trump watching an animated film while so many in the country were angry and protesting — some right outside the White House — was just too much for some people.

Actor Albert Brooks, who gives voice to the character of Marlin in the movie, spoke out on Twitter, as did others.

Former U.S. labor official Chris Lu found it ironic that “Finding Dory” — which was the first movie to be screened in a Trump White House — is “the story of a foreigner entering the US without authorization to reunite with her parents.”

But press secretary Sean Spicer clarified on Twitter that Trump did not watch the movie on a day he spent making phone calls to the leaders of several countries.

“Actually he spent 60 seconds welcoming & thanking spouses & children of WH staff then right back to work,” he tweeted.

Private screenings of Hollywood movies is a perk that presidents have enjoyed for generations. They’ve been watching movies at the White House since the 1900s.

The first film shown there was 1915’s “The Birth of A Nation” for Woodrow Wilson, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A source tells THR that the Trumps have requested a screening of the romantic comedy “Why Him?” starring James Franco and Bryan Cranston.

This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 1:59 PM with the headline "No, Trump did not watch ‘Finding Dory’ during Sunday’s protests, press secretary says."