Trump’s bizarre reaction to medical emergency goes viral

Donald Trump is facing backlash after an awkward reaction to a medical emergency involving one of his guests in the Oval Office, with critics mocking his strange and seemingly distant behavior as the incident unfolded.

A photo from the scene quickly went viral on social media.

Behind his desk

In the now-viral photo, Trump stands awkwardly at his Oval Office desk, facing the press with a stiff, almost detached posture, while in the background several people who were present in the room are seen trying to give medical attention to a man who had collapsed moments earlier, lifting his legs into the air.

Trump's bizarre reaction to the medical emergency is captured in other photos, showing him still standing behind his desk, watching from a distance as the man lies on the floor.

The man who collapsed was identified in reports as a guest of Eli Lilly and a GLP-1 patient invited to the Oval Office event on weight-loss drugs. Early accounts suggest he briefly fainted, likely due to low blood pressure, and later recovered.

Lack of concern

Only after the image spread widely on social media did many users begin drawing parallels between Trump's apparent indifference in that moment and what they see as his broader lack of concern for citizens facing financial hardship, from soaring prices to cuts in SNAP benefits, all while the federal government had been shut down for more than a month.

Trump was not the only person present during the medical emergency to face sharp criticism on social media, as Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. was also called out for walking out of the Oval Office instead of assisting the man in distress, with his reaction captured on video and widely shared online.

Allies of Trump and RFK Jr. argued that both men simply stepped back to let professionals handle the emergency, accusing critics of weaponizing a frightening moment for political gain.