'Zero-empathy' Trump shows lack of emotion when told about 8-year-old boy's family being killed in tornado

The US president was in Tennessee on Friday visiting areas devastated by last week’s tornadoes

Donald Trump has been filmed showing “zero empathy” for an 8-year-old boy during a meeting with families of Tennessee tornado victims.

The US president met with the families on Friday in the town of Cookeville as part of a trip to see the devastation caused by this week’s tornadoes.

As Trump stood in front of destroyed homes he spoke to the press about an 8-year-old boy who was carried away from his family home by a tornado, only to land alive two blocks away.

“An 8-year-old boy was ripped out, flown to a certain area and dropped off at the street two or three blocks away and they found him walking and he said ‘I just flew in the air,” said Trump in the Fox News video.

After asking ”how did his parents do?” and being informed the boy’s parents and sister had died in the storms he relayed that information to the crowd before moving on by saying “So we’re gonna go see some of the folks.”

No condolences were expressed from the president. Twitter user @mysterysolvent expressed disbelief at the way he acted.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Trump while visiting tornado victims in TN tells a story about a boy being carried by the tornado, like it’s the greatest thing he’s ever heard! Then he asks about the parents....People tell him they’re dead along with his sister. No emotion, NOTHING! Idiot!”

User @nightlypolitics echoed that statement accusing Trump of having zero empathy.

Wearing a hat emblazoned with “Keep America Great” Trump told the crowd at Cookeville that federal aid to help support the affected areas would be arriving “very quickly.”

“What they need. We are going to take care of what they need.” said Trump when asked about when they should expect the funding he had earlier approved.

After speaking to the press, Trump met with local families where he was applauded by some, with one man telling him "We're a big family. We support you." according to the video.