‘Exhausted’ Donald Trump sparks health fears after ‘suspicious’ video at latest appearance
DAILY EXPRESS
The former President has been dogged by recent speculation about his health ahead of the Iowa caucus, as multiple online comments claim he is struggling with mobility in his right leg.
Donald Trump raised questions about his health from his opponents after a video of him seemingly “dragging [that] right leg” went viral on social media, despite no evidence the former president’s health is deteriorating.
The former president, who is set for caucus showdown in a freezing Iowa today, has had to fend off speculation about his health and vitality for years, with Trump preferring to conceal intimate details of his medical records in an effort to maintain his image in front of the public.
But two clips of Trump from a recent address to residents of the city of Waukee have once again sparked questions about his health, with videos reposted by anti-Trump accounts claiming that Trump is dragging his leg behind him, including one where he is delivering “a lot of pizza” to firefighters a day ahead of the Iowa caucus.
One clip on X showed Trump delivering eight boxes of pizza to the members of the Waukee Fire Department. The video was posted by Trump supporter “johnny maga,” to his 63K followers saying the former President is “carrying around 8 pizzas like it’s nothing. Biden would face plant with more than 2.”
The clip was reposted by Ron Filipkowski, the editor-in-chief of the independent news network Meidas Touch, writing that Trump “keeps dragging that right leg.” The reposted video on Filipkowski’s Twitter has garnered 828.8 thousand views.
Trump is carrying around 8 pizzas like it’s nothing. Biden would face plant with more than 2. pic.twitter.com/aSkw194wh0
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January 14, 2024
Another video, posted on X by Washington Examiner reporter Samantha-Jo Roth, showed Trump walking into the Hotel Fort Des Moines in Iowa which will have their coldest caucus as temperatures plummet as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The former President can be heard saying: “That’s a lot of cold weather… We have a lot of meetings tonight, a lot of tremendous support, but it’s nasty out there.” The video has been viewed more than 186,000 times.
The clip was accompanied by several comments seemingly from anti-Trump accounts, with similar unsubstantiated claims that Trump is suffering from mobility issues with his right leg.
One person wrote: “He looks ‘off balance’ while walking!! I am thinking there is a medical problem going on there!!”
Another person added that Trump “does not look healthy.”
Body language expert Judi James told Daily Express US said the former president looked “less steady”.
She said: “Trump was recently seen looking less steady than usual with a pose on stage that made it look as though his legs were splaying out slightly from the knees, which can be a common sight in older men.
“His body weight appears to be pushed forward, so that his torso tilts at an angle where his head leads and his arms hang slightly to the front of his body. This can be a propelling movement when someone is in a hurry and dashing forward but that doesn’t seem to be the case here as Trump’s walk looks heavy and unhurried. He also retains this unusual pose when he stops walking, with his arms still hanging towards the front, rather than adopting his signature erect ‘standing to attention’ pose.
“His normal gait when there are cameras around is more alpha-based, with his head up and chest puffed. The look in this clip could suggest he was tired or that he’d had a long journey. I’d be suspicious about the open-neck shirt though, Trump is an experienced performer and he might see some advantage in signaling a hint of exhaustion on the run up to the election to show he’s putting some graft in.”
President Trump walks into the Hotel Fort Des Moines where I happen to also be staying. Trump: “That’s a lot of cold weather. We have a lot of meetings tonight, a lot of tremendous support, but it’s nasty out there.” Cc: @dcexaminer pic.twitter.com/B3obeiVxhK
— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) January 14, 2024
The former president’s health has been the subject of widespread allegations and speculations across the political establishment for years, and his off-handed comments about the possibility that his health could become a factor in weighing whether he could run for the presidency in 2024 are often taken at face value.
