President Donald Trump’s Wednesday night address to the nation was more notable for its tone than its content, with the president appearing agitated as he mostly recounted past talking points. For at least one physician, however, the president’s demeanor during the speech was not only unusual but also worrying, a possible sign of health concerns for the aging president.
Doctor expressed concern about Trump during speech
As Blavity previously reported, Trump’s Wednesday night speech was unusually combative, with the president seeming to shout at the audience at times despite speaking from the White House as opposed to one of his outdoor rallies. Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences who also appears regularly on CNN, posted several concerned messages on social media during Trump’s speech. “The pace of this address is manic,” Reiner observed during the speech.
“I’m seriously concerned about the health of the president,” he posted a few minutes later.
‘Disturbing’ displays of Trump agitated or seeming to fall asleep
Reiner discussed his concerns on CNN with Jake Tapper, and as reported by TV Insider, said “he looks unwell.”
“It was delivered with a manic cadence, almost a frantic cadence. It was as if you were listening to a podcast on 2x,” Reiner said. He explained, “As the address went on, the cadence of his remarks became quicker, and we’ve never seen the president like that.” The medical expert said it was “disturbing” to see the commander-in-chief seemingly out of control in this way.
Reiner also commented on a separate Oval Office event at which Trump appeared to doze off multiple times. Noting that Trump has appeared to fall asleep during several events in recent weeks, including a cabinet meeting in which he was being directly addressed, Reiner noted that such “daytime somnolence” could be caused by a number of health conditions, such as sleep apnea. “It’s jarring to see the president go from basically asleep in the Oval Office to really, you know, this rapid-fire pace during basically a 30-minute speech he gave in 18 minutes,” Reiner said, saying, “No one should be happy to see that.”
Growing concerns about Trump’s health
These recent appearances in which 79-year-old Trump was notably agitated or struggling to stay awake have only added to speculation about his health and fitness. Similar concerns about President Joe Biden, ironically highlighted by a stumbling debate performance against Trump that was co-moderated by Tapper, led to Biden dropping his reelection bid. Now Trump, who is poised to surpass Biden as the oldest president in United States history by the end of his term, has seen increasing speculation about his own health. These concerns have been exacerbated by a lack of transparency over unusual bruises seen on Trump’s hand as well as confirmation that the president has undergone a series of MRI exams and cognitive tests, which usually indicates suspicion of some serious medical condition.
While Trump and those around him publicly claim he is in great health, the president’s actions and demeanor seem to be telling a different story. Facing a lack of transparency from the White House concerning Trump’s health, observers like Reiner will continue to search for clues as to what might be ailing the president and how his health concerns will impact his ability to perform the nation’s top job.