Copyright Newsweek
Dr. Mehmet Oz said President Donald Trump grabbed his phone and comforted the wife of the man who passed out in the Oval Office in front of the cameras on Thursday. Oz added that the man is "doing well". Images of Trump's reaction to the incident have drawn critical comparisons with how former President Barack Obama responded to a fainting woman back in 2013. But Oz has shed fresh light on the president's actions, giving a more sympathetic impression of how Trump handled the situation. In a clip shared by the White House, Oz, who is Trump's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator, describes the moments after the man passed out in a "story that speaks loudly to the kind of person the president is," he said. "I wanted to speak to the wife to let her know what was happening, but also comfort her. The president saw me in the corner and said, 'Who are you talking to?' I said, sort of sheepishly, I was talking to the wife. And he said give me that phone," Oz said. "And he talked to her and got her much calmer than I could have ever done. And I just think he's just a wonderful human being that he would take time. He could have gone off and done ten other things. But he actually cared that the wife of a man who he has never met before felt in a safer place." "He remembers the forgotten folks," Oz added. Man Passes Out in Oval Office During Press Conference: What We Know The man, whose identity is unclear, collapsed behind Trump during an Oval Office press conference with drugmakers to expand coverage and reduce prices for popular obesity treatments Zepbound and Wegovy. Officials rushed to help him after his collapse, and the press was quickly removed. As he collapsed, Oz supported his head as he was lowered to the floor. It was unclear what caused the collapse. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later told reporters that the man was a guest of one of the health care companies in attendance, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Leavitt said in a statement, “During the Most Favored Nations Oval Office Announcement, a representative with one of the companies fainted. The White House Medical Unit quickly jumped into action, and the gentleman is okay. The Press Conference will resume shortly.” Approximately an hour later, Trump resumed the weight-loss drug event after the participant fainted. The man did not return to the Oval Office. Trump said the gentleman was feeling lightheaded but is OK now. Weight Loss Drug Prices To Decrease After Trump Announces Deals with Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk Trump announced a deal Thursday with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand Medicare coverage and reduce prices for popular obesity drugs Zepbound and Wegovy. The medications, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have surged in demand but remain costly—about $500 a month—with limited insurance coverage. Under the agreement, Medicare will begin covering the drugs for obesity next year, and new pill versions could cost $149 a month if approved. The move is part of Trump’s broader effort to address voters’ concerns about high living costs and prescription prices ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Officials said some price reductions will also apply to patients without coverage through a new TrumpRx program, starting at $350 and dropping to $245 within two years. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk confirmed they will offer discounted doses, though it remains unclear how much savings consumers will see.
