In the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential victory, there’s an instinct to express one’s frustrations and disbelief, but Blue’s Clues host Steven Burns has offered a quieter yet equally resonant post-election response.
Taking to TikTok, the beloved children’s television star shared a video of himself that many have taken as a message of quiet reassurance as we brace for a second Trump presidency. The actor, best known for portraying a fictional version of himself on Blue’s Clues, opens the viral video with a picturesque shot of the sun beaming on a wide-open field.
Coupled with the natural sounds, this simplistic shot in itself offers a moment of calm amid the post-election chaos, and that sense of comfort only amplifies when Burns enters the frame. Holding a morning cup of coffee, the Daytime Emmy-winner first looks to the camera while cheersing his mugs, before looking introspectively at his surroundings in complete silence. Save for the sound of chirping birds and Burns’ deep inhale, the minute-long clip is completely silent, which speaks a thousand words.
Since the algorithm has been overrun with loud discourse as users rightfully make noise about the devastating result of the election, it’s nice to scroll onto a video that offers a chance for pause. Burns, without saying a word, reminds us of the importance of finding quiet in times like these, but his reassuring presence — especially among users who watched him as a child — also offers something of a warm hug as we navigate what feels like a dark time in history.
Plenty of users seemed to agree, flocking to Burns’ comments section to thank the actor for his quiet act of solidarity. “I bet you didn’t think you’d still be raising us all these years later, Steve, but thank you for still being here,” one user wrote. This sentiment of gratitude continued as fans thanked “Steve [for] being my friend in adulthood” or for providing “healing to an ENTIRE GENERATION.”
Some even saw themselves in Burns, saying his “presence made me sob” and affirming that his exhale is “felt around the world.” Another fan, like legions of children before them, looked to Burns for guidance, saying they were “scared” and asking him “what do we do now?” In between requests for Steve to give them a hug and lamentations that they “can’t do this again,” some users made specific references to Blue’s Clues.
One such fan said Trump returning to the White House was “not in the notebook,” in reference to the pad Burns uses on the show, with another making mention of the show’s beloved Thinking Chair. “Can we please go sit in the thinking chair and think, think, think about what tf we’re gonna do now?,” they wrote. Beyond the messages of thanks and references to Blue’s Clues, Burns’ video seemed to provide a calm space for people to commiserate, with many sharing their sadness about the election.
“Everything feels so heavy today,” one user said, with another adding that they “have been unsuccessfully trying to hold back my tears all morning.” This spirit of sharing the emotional burden continued as users recalled “bawling for America and my two daughters,” “crying in my husband arms,” or feeling “so tired.” In perhaps the biggest takeaway from the video, one fan floated an idea that, while wishful, might just save us from all these post-election blues. “Steve for president 2028,” they wrote. I think that has a nice ring to it.