President Donald Trump’s triumphant return to Washington from his state visit to the U.K. on Thursday night took an unexpected turn when a White House photo op nearly collapsed into an embarrassing stumble.
Cameras captured the 79-year-old president bumping into first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn, forcing her to steady him with a quick hand grab that many viewers saw as a literal rescue.
The footage, which quickly went viral on X with more than 700,000 views, shows Trump gripping both handrails as he descended Marine One’s stairs before offering his hand to Melania. It garnered another 40,000 on Threads with nearly 2,000 comments.
The two walked across the grass toward the White House, but the president suddenly veered sideways, colliding into his wife and nearly knocking her off stride. Melania, who has often avoided holding hands with her husband in public, clasped his hand firmly this time, walking slightly ahead as if guiding him inside.
Social media reactions were swift from Trump’s detractors.
“Melania is the human version of a walker,” one user wroter. Another said, “She had to hold his hand to keep him walking straight.”
Others saw something deeper, “This video of Trump is concerning. He’s wobbly, unable to walk in a straight line without bumping into Melania. She steadies him like a crutch.”
Another added bluntly, “It does not look like a healthy man. Every time Joe Biden sneezed it was a big outrage on Fox News. This guy looks like he has a stroke every other day and it’s just fine with some people.”
Some defenders suggested the president may have been “wiped out” from travel, jet lag, or even muscle relaxers for back pain, especially considering his return trip had a minor scare when Marine One was forced to divert to another airport, further extending his travel.
The clip capped a week of speculation about Trump’s health as cameras followed him through his engagements with King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Attention repeatedly turned from the pomp of state dinners and press conferences to the president’s bruised hand that appeared in numerous photos.
At Windsor Castle on Wednesday, Trump posed for photos with the royals, but his attempts to cover up a dark discoloration on his right hand took the attention. The too-light concealer stopped short of his knuckles, leaving a patchy contrast with his spray-tanned skin. “How can you be in that position and not have somebody be able to cover a bruise?” makeup artist Brandi Boulet said to RadarOnline, calling the cover-up a “crisis.”
Critics have repeatedly mocked the sloppy concealment, while the administration insisted the discoloration was “minor soft tissue irritation” from “frequent handshaking” and the daily aspirin regimen Trump takes for cardiovascular health.
In July, officials acknowledged that Trump had also been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that can cause blood to pool in the legs.
More recently, Trump tried to keep the bruising under wraps while signing new executive orders at the White House.
On Friday, he clasped his left hand tightly over his right while unveiling the new “Gold Card” visa program and H-1B visa changes. But the bruised hand was still visible when he raised his arm for the cameras.
The effort only fueled speculation about his health, with psychologists on the Shrinking Trump podcast suggesting the bruises could be from IV treatments and warning of other possible signs of congestive heart failure or early dementia.
“Congestive heart failure is what typically causes swelling, you know, largely swollen ankles,” psychology professor Harry Segal said on the podcast. Adding, “I think he’s not, I mean, he’s not doing well.”
Just two weeks ago Trump was seen with one side of his face sagging, dozing off during appearances, and walking with visible difficulty, only intensifying questions about his overall health.
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