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Unsteady appearance prompts new scrutiny of Trump's health

Politics,White House,Donald Trump

From the Left
Analysis

A Washington Post report noted over the weekend that Donald Trump is "exceptionally attuned to -- some advisers say obsessed with -- the image he presents to the public and strives to be seen as strong and vigorous." It's against this backdrop that the president is facing new scrutiny of his health. The New York Times reported:

President Trump faced new questions about his health on Sunday, after videos emerged of him gingerly walking down a ramp at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and having trouble bringing a glass of water to his mouth during a speech there.

At one point during the Republican's remarks, Trump paused to drink some water, though he appeared to struggle a bit with the task. He raised a glass partway with his right hand, and then used his left hand to push the water higher to his face. After the remarks, the president descended down a ramp, taking slow, short, and careful steps. Discussion about Trump's wellbeing soon followed. (The Lincoln Project seemed especially eager to make use of the #TrumpIsNotWell hashtag.)

To be sure, there's some familiarity to these questions. In 2017, for example, the president appeared quite cautious on a flight of stairs, which led to similar speculation. The same year, Trump's use of two hands to raise a small glass of water to his mouth generated related chatter.

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