President Donald Trump cannot escape scrutiny about the state of his health.
Each time the 80-year-old leaves the White House, cameras capture moments critics dissect, looking for signs of weakness and noticeable ailments.
Just yesterday, he nodded off repeatedly during an Oval Office meeting, surrounded by guests and the press. His frequent struggles with stairs have also drawn scrutiny. Meanwhile, questions about his well-being continue to dominate coverage of the 80-year-old president.
Trump has crisscrossed the nation to attend rallies for GOP midterm candidates. Each trip is closely scrutinized to determine whether the president can maintain a vigorous work schedule while balancing the demands of the office.
Each political gathering becomes a newsworthy event for several reasons. Between the president’s chaotic speeches and disheveled appearance, inquiries about his mental and physical fitness remain relevant topics of conversation.
Cruz, 55, shared an 18-second video of him walking with Trump toward Marine One on the new White House helipad.
The clip showed the two men chatting before boarding the aircraft for their trip to San Antonio on Oct. 7. He joined Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz for a Republican campaign stop at the Freeman Coliseum.
“Honored to be at the White House today with President Trump celebrating Trump Accounts, legislation I wrote to give every child in America the chance to become an investor, an owner, and have a real stake in America’s future,” Cruz tweeted before heading to Texas.
The Senate Commerce Committee chairman also blasted Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, calling him a “woke DSA radical.” He praised Republican contender Ken Paxton in the tight midterm race
However, Cruz’s digital takedown of Talarico did not garner the most online attention.
The Princeton University graduate’s brief interaction with Trump forced viewers to take a second look at the MAGA frontman.
Trump’s stroll to Marine One sparked reactions focused on his lower limbs. While the president’s loyal supporters hailed his exchange with Cruz, his critics had a field day taunting both GOP officeholders.
“Slapping that right leg again,” read one Facebook comment.
Trump then walked away from reporters before trotting over to the presidential transport chopper beside Cruz. “Why’s he limping?” a second person wondered.
Cruz walked alongside Trump, but fans were sizing up more than their political partnership. Fans focused on the two men’s frames, and comparisons over who looked heavier turned the side-by-side appearance into an unofficial weigh-in.
The pile-on continued as the president and the senator earned new nicknames when someone dubbed them “tubby and stubby.”
“They look to be the same body size!” exclaimed an X user. More jokes about their weight flew when another commenter posted, “What’s the load capacity on Marine One? That’s a lot of load.”
Over the last several months, sharp-eyed observers noticed Trump adopted a specific mid-stride habit.
“What the heck is Trump wearing on his legs? Clearly he needs some sort of device to be able to walk on his own it appears. Imagine if this was Joe Biden,” a separate commenter posted.
Retired tennis legend and outspoken Trump critic Martina Navratilova offered her theory. She wrote, “Polio? His body is falling apart.”
Upon arriving at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before boarding the flight to San Antonio, Trump appeared to have difficulty walking down Marine One’s short staircase. He gripped the handrails tightly during the three-step descent.
The commander-in-chief’s walk across the military facility’s tarmac also featured moments when he nearly bumped into his uniformed escort.
Staying on a direct route to Air Force One without wandering seemed challenging for the octogenarian.
Trump eventually made it to the airplane with Cruz not far behind. The real estate mogul-turned-politician’s signature comb-over blew wildly in the wind.
As his disheveled hair stood up, the GOP torchbearer slowly climbed Air Force One’s stairs.
There has been sharp focus on Trump’s legs in recent weeks.
Not long ago, a photo of Trump standing in an extremely awkward stance sent the internet into a frenzy. The latest moment only adds to the growing scrutiny surrounding Trump’s health and physical condition.
