Day 1,241: Unsteady appearance at West Point has many wondering about Trump’s physical, mental health again

Six weeks ago, Donald Trump announced, apparently unilaterally, that he would give the commencement address to West Point graduates, even as the United States Military Academy was still deciding whether to have an in-person ceremony. To stoke Trump’s ego, over 1,000 cadets had to return to the area, isolate themelves for two weeks, and risk exposure to the coronavirus that they wouldn’t otherwise.

In hindsight, Trump would have been better off staying home and letting the graduates do the same. With graduates socially distanced and wearing masks, the scene was odd enough to begin with. But an unsteady appearance in all facets by Trump has led to renewed questions about Trump’s health.

Trump spoke monotonously, slurred his words and struggled with basic pronounciation.

During his speech, Trump needed both hands to lift and stabilize an 8 oz glass of water.

At the end of the speech, Trump struggled mightily to walk down a ramp, as those around him had no such issues.

With socially media buzzing about Trump’s appearance, including questioning his fitness, the ramp issue seemed to particularly irk Trump. Late Saturday he tweeted a strange and multilayered defense.

In a single tweet, Trump, the man who has multiple excuses for everything, blamed five different things for his bizarre amble: 1) the length of ramp, 2) the slope of ramp, 3) the lack of handrail on the ramp, 4) the slipperiness of the ramp, and 5) a desire to be especially careful.

But the obvious rebuttal is 1) the ramp wasn’t particularly long, 2) the slope appeared gentle and it’s highly unlikely it violated any ADA laws, 3) while there was no handrail, no one else walked with the same staggered gait that Trump used, 4) it didn’t rain before or during the ceremony, and it’s highly unlikely the ramp itself was created with a slippery surface, 5) no one around Trump seemed to give the ramp a second thought.

If Trump thinks an even more awkward walk for the last three steps was him running down the “final ten feet,” maybe he should rewatch the tape.

All of this is pertinent because the health and well-being of the president is a matter of national importance. Trump has also made the health — physical and mental — of Joe Biden a specific issue for the 2020 election. Saturday, like many days, it seemed to be a case of the Trump pot calling the Biden kettle black.

1,241 days in, 221 to go

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