Viral Photos of Man Collapsing Behind Trump Spark Polarization

Photographs of a man collapsing behind President Donald Trump during an Oval Office announcement went viral on social media on Thursday and sparked biased news coverage.

The Details: The announcement, a White House deal with pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to lower the prices of certain weight loss drugs, was reportedly suspended for about an hour after the man collapsed. Multiple photographers captured the president as he stood at his desk, watched the man be attended to by others – including Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz – and then pivoted away. Context beyond the roughly 20-second scene is unclear, since press was removed. Trump later said the man “got a little bit lightheaded.” He asserted, “He’s got doctors here…. He’s fine.” The man’s identity is unknown as of this article’s publication, though he is believed to be a representative of one of the pharmaceutical companies. 

How The Media Covered It: Media outlets on the left exhibited strong photo bias – specifically on social media – by widely promoting the photographs of Trump turned away from the man on the ground. The photographs out of context could be “used to influence a reader’s perception or emotion” toward viewing Trump more negatively. HuffPost (Left bias) furthered this narrative by giving voice to social media commentators who denounced Trump’s reaction. One quote stated, “[Trump reacted] not with resolve, but with rehearsal.” Another criticized Trump as “expressionless.” Newsweek (Center) focused more on the original purpose of the announcement and less on the viral photographs and negative social media responses. New York Post (Lean Right) suggested Oz “rushed to help.”

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