During a rally in New York on Thursday, former President Donald Trump faced criticism and concern over a series of apparent speech slip-ups, fueling speculation about his cognitive health. As he addressed the crowd, Trump struggled to pronounce the word "patriots," resulting in a garbled phrase that quickly drew attention on social media.
"It's hard working patri-skfjskl and this is something that you can say and you can say it a million times," Trump said, failing to articulate the word properly. The incident led to a wave of online reactions, with many questioning his mental acuity. One user noted, "He couldn't say it one time," while another compared the ex-president's speech to that of a stroke victim, stating, "His voice, the higher pitch, the glitching, the odd sounds and noises in place of words, it reminds me of my father after his stroke on the days when it was obvious he was struggling cognitively."
This is not the first time Trump's speech has raised eyebrows. At a rally in Dallas, Texas, on May 18, Trump was accused of going silent for approximately 30 seconds, which led to further speculation about his health. In response, Trump took to Truth Social to clarify the incident, asserting that the pause was a standard part of his speeches for a musical interlude, and accusing the Biden campaign of spreading false information.
"My Speech in Dallas this weekend at the NRA's 'Endorsement of President Donald J. Trump,' was attended by a Record Crowd of very enthusiastic Patriots. The Biden Campaign, however, put out a Fake Story that I 'froze' for 30 seconds, going into the 'Musical Interlude' section, when in actuality, the 30 to 60 second period of silence is standard in every one of my Speeches where we use the Music," Trump wrote.
Despite his rebuttal, medical professionals have weighed in on Trump's recent behavior. Dr. Lance Dodes, a supervising analyst emeritus of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute and retired Harvard Medical School professor, expressed concern about Trump's mental state, citing his frequent confusion about reality. "Unlike normal aging, which is characterized by forgetting names or words, Trump repeatedly shows something very different: confusion about reality," Dodes said, pointing to instances where Trump has confused Barack Obama with Joe Biden.
The New York rally also drew attention for its low turnout, with reports of attendees leaving while Trump was still speaking. Raw Story reported that the police on the scene were surprised by the sparse crowd, highlighting the unusual nature of the event given Trump's historical ability to draw large audiences.
Further social media commentary included observations from journalist Aaron Rupar, who described Trump's speech as a series of "glitches." At one point, Trump stumbled over the word "unacceptable," saying, "This is unacceptal-- we-- it's unacceptable." These slip-ups were quickly flagged and shared online, adding to the growing discourse about Trump's cognitive health.
In the political arena, Trump's slip-ups have not gone unnoticed by his opponents. Democrat Harry Sisson tweeted, "YIKES!!! Donald Trump just glitched badly saying 'It is hardworking patri-skfjskl.' Uhhh what??? Does anyone have any idea what he just said? Trump is struggling badly at this rally. Sleepy Donald needs to head to bed."
The former president's cognitive health has become a focal point for critics, especially as he remains a prominent figure in the Republican party and a potential candidate for the 2024 presidential election. These incidents have sparked a broader discussion about the health and fitness of aging political leaders, a topic that is likely to remain in the spotlight as the election season progresses.
