Copyright Atlanta Black Star
Donald Trump’s latest international trek included the U.S. president cracking a joke that sparked further uncertainty about his health. The Republican firebrand complained about experiencing a tough patch of turbulence during his flight home from Asia to America on Oct. 30. In footage filmed on Air Force One, Trump, 79, stood facing the camera as he had to hold onto the side of the plane to keep himself balanced. ‘Recognize the Cankles…But What’s This?’: Trump’s Strange Bulge and Stumbling Steps Have Viewers Calling B.S. on That MRI A smiling Trump still took time to speak with the press aboard the presidential plane as the aircraft jerked back and forth above the Asian continent. “These are rough winds in Asia. I must tell you, this is a rough flight,” Trump said to the reporters. “We could’ve waited an hour, maybe. This is a little tough.” The New York City native continued, “This is a tough condition for interviews. They’re gonna be watching Trump and say, ‘He didn’t look too good, he’s got the shakes.’ I don’t have the shakes.” Trump presented that wisecrack about not having the “shakes” after his administration had faced significant inquiries about the senior citizen’s physical and mental well-being. As the clip of Trump seemingly referring to the tremors associated with Parkinson’s disease spread across the internet, people weighed in on the president’s robustness. “That man has had a Stroke and is trying to hide it,” one person replied to the outlet. “He is a very sick man,” added a Daily Mail reader about Trump in the British tabloid’s comment section. Another person wrote, “He’s got something. He definitely doesn’t look well.” One commenter quipped, “We’re rapidly approaching ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ territory,” referring to the 1989 comedy movie about two insurance employees who faked that their deceased boss was still alive. “Don [is] old as dirt,” read one reply. However, the MAGA leader received backing as one person expressed, “Trump is the best. Knows how to joke and troll the haters.” In contrast, a critic of the polarizing president offered, “A great personality for a con man is a tool, like a hammer to a carpenter.” Whether Trump was showing off his comedic chops or revealing his true health concerns during that media scrum on Air Force One, speculation that the POTUS is dealing with serious medical problems prevails. Questions about noticeable bruising on Trump’s right hand raised eyebrows in the wake of his winning the 2024 presidential election against the Democratic nominee, then-Vice President Kamala Harris. “It’s from shaking hands with thousands of people,” Trump insisted when asked about the abrasions in December 2024. His newly appointed White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, gave the same explanation following the inauguration in January 2025. Throughout the year, Trump was also photographed having swollen ankles. In July, the White House acknowledged that the president was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that can cause swelling of the lower limbs. Trump made an earth-shaking revelation in late October when he informed the world that he underwent an MRI exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center without disclosing why the test was needed. “I got an MRI. It was perfect. I gave you the full results,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on the way to Japan on Oct. 27, before adding, “If I didn’t think it was going to be good either, I would let you know, negatively. I wouldn’t run. I’d do something.” Trump’s consistent trouble walking up and down Air Force One’s steps also fueled uneasiness over whether he was in good enough shape to handle the intense stress and constant scrutiny that comes with being the most powerful person on the planet.
