Rhode Island Teacher of the Year Waves Lace Fan While Posing with President Trump and First Lady

Rhode Island teacher Nikos Giannopoulos used a black lace fan during an official photo with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House.

Thanks to the fan the photo of the special education teacher, the president and the first lady has gone viral.

Nikos Giannopoulos, 29, had traveled to Washington from his home after being named Rhode Island Teacher of the Year.

Along with teachers from every state, Nikos Giannopoulos was invited to the White House to meet President Trump – and he made very specific decisions about what to wear.

In a Facebook post, Nikos Giannopoulos revealed he wore a rainbow pin, in “gratitude to the LGBTQ community”, a blue jacket and black fan to “celebrate the joy and freedom of gender nonconformity”, and an anchor necklace in honor of the Rhode Island.

The black lace fan, which belonged to Nikos Giannopoulos’s partner, was the thing that really stole the show.

Nikos Giannopoulos told NPR that, despite the president’s immediate appreciation for the fan, which he praised as “stylish”, he was told by White House staff to put it away for the official picture.

However, Nikos Giannopoulos decided to quietly keep it by his side until it came time for the photo.

“I just asked the president, <<Do you mind if I use the fan for the photo?>>. He said, <<Absolutely go for it>>. So I popped my fan and did my pose.”