Trump Tries To Explain Awkward West Point Walk That Lit Up Twitter Critics
President Donald Trump tried to explain away his awkward walk down a ramp Saturday after addressing West Point graduates by saying he was being extra careful to avoid a fall that the “Fake News” would “have fun with.”
“Trump is not well” began to trend on Twitter after video of the president’s tentative walk was posted on social media. Check it out above.
Trump said in a tweet that the ramp was long, steep and “very slippery.” He claimed he “ran” to level ground the “final ten feet” — which did not exactly appear to be the case.
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
Earlier, during his address to cadets, Trump took an awkward sip of water: He used his right hand to lift a glass, then used his left hand to push the glass, still clutched in his right hand, all the way to his mouth.
Trump still hasn't totally figured out how to drink water pic.twitter.com/IO8CDXmD9i
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 13, 2020
Both incidents caught the eye of Twitter users, with many raising questions about Trump’s health, and wondering again about his unannounced visit late last year to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The White House said at the time that it was for a routine exam.
West Point cadets were called back from their homes across the nation to prepare for the graduation ceremony after Trump informed surprised officials in late April that he would be giving the commencement speech. The Army hadn’t yet determined whether or not to have cadets back for a graduation ceremony because of the risks of COVID-19. They had all been ordered to stay home after spring break and continued their studies online.
At least 15 of the 1,106 cadets who returned to the campus, which is about an hour’s drive north of New York City, tested positive for COVID-19 when they arrived weeks ago, and were placed in quarantine. None were symptomatic. The rest were allowed to stay in their dorms under what the Army called a “soft quarantine” before the commencement. All were tested.
Cadets were in chairs spaced 6 feet apart for the ceremony, and families had to watch remotely.
The president promised in his speech that the cadets would not have to fight “endless wars” in “far-away lands.”
CORRECTION: This article previously stated that cadets wore masks while crossing the stage. In fact, none of the participants seen in the livestream of the ceremony wore masks, and cadets were acknowledged while crossing a riser that allowed them to maintain social distancing.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
