After Donald Trump was mercilessly mocked on social media for two incidents at his West Point commencement address yesterday that suggested that perhaps the president was suffering from some undisclosed neurological disorder, he wasn’t smart enough to leave the topic alone to be overtaken by whatever next outrage soon to be perpetrated by his administration.
Instead, he decided to issue a tweeted excuse that was mocked just as widely as the original actions that inspired the hashtag #TrumpIsUnwell to shoot to the top of the trending chart on Twitter.
The ramp that I descended after my West Point Commencement speech was very long & steep, had no handrail and, most importantly, was very slippery. The last thing I was going to do is “fall” for the Fake News to have fun with. Final ten feet I ran down to level ground. Momentum!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2020
In case you missed the hoopla yesterday, the controversy began when, during his commencement speech, Trump needed two hands to lift a glass of water to his lips and then, immediately after his address, was seen taking very unsteady steps down a long exit ramp from the stage where his podium.
"Ulyssius S Grant" pic.twitter.com/RqrPoYrCjJ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 13, 2020
There are more important things going on right now than this video clip but worth noting that it was sunny throughout Trump's appearance at West Point. If the ramp was indeed "slippery" it wasn't because of rain. And it certainly didn't appear to be steep. https://t.co/ZNtO8XyyFA
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 14, 2020
As Vox‘s Arron Rupar so adroitly points out, none of Trump’s lame excuses bear scrutiny beyond their function as face-saving devices for a president whose obvious physical and mental decline was on full display at the commencement ceremony, a needlessly risky exercise in this pandemic that was largely seen as an ego-boosting maneuver for the president.
Other Twitter commentators were equally unconvinced by Trump’s description of his harrowing journey down that potentially deadly ramp.
He didn’t have to tweet it. He could have let it go. If he was mindful in any way whatsoever he wouldn’t have put himself in a position we were going to talk about his ramp walk for a day.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 14, 2020
…And the water glass was very heavy, twice the weight of a normal water glass, and that's why I had to hoist it up with my other hand, to make sure it didnt fall and break, causing broken glass to hurt one of our troops, which the fake news would love.
— JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) June 14, 2020
…I actually was holding up that General down the ramp, who was having a tough time with the ramp. He will write a letter tomorrow confirming or AG Barr will. If I didn't go that slow, my General would have fallen. Some might say I saved him. Purple Heart?
— JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) June 14, 2020
44 and 46 pic.twitter.com/Dm8gKY6N5Q
— Baligubadle (@Baligubadle1) June 14, 2020
He needs to step down. #TrumpIsNotWell
— Prison Mike (@PrisonMScott) June 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/Jess116116/status/1272053829350146048?s=20
Trump even made fun of Hillary Clinton for tripping on the stairs getting into an airplane. It’s perhaps fair game for a lot of people to make fun of Trump for gingerly walking down the stairs with the help of a general. Revenge can be sweet. But I think we’re better than that.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) June 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/DevinCow/status/1272023969835728897?s=20
What about his right hand? Something's up.
— Alexander (@AMagatoni) June 14, 2020
You can tell when he’s not tweeting himself because it’s not written like a 5-yr-old. His “excuse” tweet about the ramp had proper punctuation & capitalization; something he can’t do. He needs a Dr. now! Sad that he’s so delusional that he won’t go. #TrumpIsNotWell #TRUMPstroke
— Nancy O'Neill (@nancyjoneill) June 14, 2020
Every legit media outlet should report on trump’s health problems today like @davidgoldiner of the @NYDailyNews did.
But they aren’t.
They won’t.
Why?Because they see his lying about his health as equal to lying about inauguration crowds or hurricane paths.
They’re wrong. https://t.co/xZrfpsKtT3
— Philippe Reines (@PhilippeReines) June 14, 2020
The president of the United States is displaying symptoms of obvious physical and mental dysfunction and the administration is in full denial with its eyes still on the November elections in which Trump is polling so poorly that his own staff is hiding the results of each new negative assessment of his re-election odds.
While some may be loathe to attribute any of Trump’s erratic behavior and evil policies on any sort of inherent medical condition rather than on his moral deficiencies and privileged lack of discipline, the signs of actual physical and mental impairment are all there on video for the world to see.
Trump should stop by the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on his way back from his birthday golfing grip to his Bedminster, New Jersey resort and complete that annual physical he’s been delaying for so long.
More importantly, the results of his tests need to be released to the American public who deserve to know if their Commander-in-Chief has gone non compos mentis on us, particularly since this man is trying to win four more years in the White House.
Instead of birthday cards today for the now 74-year-old president, perhaps Trump’s powerful friends should be sending him “Get Well Soon” greetings…and urge him to seek treatment after resigning to take care of his health.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Tom Boggioni at RawStory/Alternet.
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