A video of US President Donald Trump departing for Kansas on Monday (Oct 19) appeared to show him wandering across the White House's newly renovated helicopter pad, waving, saluting and bowing as if greeting a crowd. When the camera pulled back, however, no one appeared to be nearby. The clip quickly went viral and reignited questions about the president's health.From another angle, Trump can be seen dragging his right leg and patting it as he approaches Marine One. He suddenly stops walking and starts waving at what appears to be empty space, while his aides approach from a completely different direction. What was the 80-year-old POTUS waving at?Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-zelensky-not-a-good-guy-amid-fresh-russia-ukraine-tensions-1792118124388">Trump says Zelensky 'not a good guy' amid fresh Russia-Ukraine tensions | Watch video</a><h2>'Major mental decline': Critics weigh in</h2>Users on X speculated that the president might have been hallucinating or waving at his reflection, both troubling possibilities. Brian Krassenstein, a political podcaster and social media influencer critical of Trump, responded to the strange moment. "I now have absolutely no doubt that Donald Trump has major mental decline," he wrote on X. "Just think for one minute if Joe Biden had waved into the abyss like Trump just did here. Imagine what Fox News would be saying."Social media influencer Harry Sisson, who reshared the clip, said the image showed no people at all, and that even when zoomed in, nobody could be seen. He suggested that a generous reading might be that a person was hidden somewhere in the frame, but that he could not find anyone, and that the moment looked strange overall.Watch video here:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LOL - Trump stops mid helipad to wave and salute nobody.

Watch at 0:21, the camera zooms out to show.

Natalie Harp can also be seen on her way to Marine One. #TravelWithNatalie https://t.co/5bejfnJc2j&mdash; Donk Media ♻️™ (@donkoclock) <a href="https://x.com/donkoclock/status/2112272018200564100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Not the first time Trump mental health in question</h2>This is not the first time Trump has appeared to wander off confusedly prompting questions about his mental health. In October last year, Trump seemed to forget where he was going as he walked through a room filled with dignitaries and a military band during a visit to Japan, at one point even leaving Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi behind.Since returning to office, the president has often appeared to lose track of his thoughts, his whereabouts, and even his grasp on the English language. The latest episode adds to a pattern that has drawn scrutiny since he returned to the White House in January 2025.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ruh-roh-top-us-official-mocks-indian-market-collapse-claim-after-trump-s-it-curbs-but-did-it-fact-check-1791537447979">‘Ruh Roh’: Top US official mocks ‘Indian market collapse’ claim after Trump’s IT curbs. But did it? | FACT CHECK</a><h2>Trump health questions mount</h2>There have also been other concerns. First came the bruises on Trump's hands, which the White House downplayed as the result of shaking too many hands. When swelling appeared on his legs, he was quickly diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. Trump and those close to him have always maintained that he is in excellent physical and mental condition, but ahead of the elections, it seems not everyone agrees, especially after multiple recent cases in which he appeared to struggle to stay awake during meetings.While Trump often lambasted his predecessor Joe Biden for being "sleepy," the 80-year-old has also been caught on camera sleeping, multiple times.<h2>The other side: Was he greeting staff?</h2>Not everyone accepts the viral interpretation. Reports suggest Trump was actually waving at support staff and technical crews who helped with his departure. In normal presidential and campaign travel routines, salutes and waves are usually directed toward distant security teams, Secret Service members positioned at the perimeter, or groups of media cameras and reporters kept far back from the aircraft for safety.&nbsp;

A viral clip appears to show Trump waving at 'empty space' as he boards Marine One, sparking claims of mental decline. Critics say imagine if Biden had done it. Scroll down for video and more.

A video of US President Donald Trump departing for Kansas on Monday (Oct 19) appeared to show him wandering across the White House's newly renovated helicopter pad, waving, saluting and bowing as if greeting a crowd. When the camera pulled back, however, no one appeared to be nearby. The clip quickly went viral and reignited questions about the president's health. From another angle, Trump can be seen dragging his right leg and patting it as he approaches Marine One. He suddenly stops walking and starts waving at what appears to be empty space, while his aides approach from a completely different direction. What was the 80-year-old POTUS waving at? Also read | Trump says Zelensky 'not a good guy' amid fresh Russia-Ukraine tensions | Watch video 'Major mental decline': Critics weigh in Users on X speculated that the president might have been hallucinating or waving at his reflection, both troubling possibilities. Brian Krassenstein, a political podcaster and social media influencer critical of Trump, responded to the strange moment. "I now have absolutely no doubt that Donald Trump has major mental decline," he wrote on X. "Just think for one minute if Joe Biden had waved into the abyss like Trump just did here. Imagine what Fox News would be saying." Social media influencer Harry Sisson, who reshared the clip, said the image showed no people at all, and that even when zoomed in, nobody could be seen. He suggested that a generous reading might be that a person was hidden somewhere in the frame, but that he could not find anyone, and that the moment looked strange overall. Watch video here:

A viral clip appears to show Trump waving at 'empty space' as he boards Marine One, sparking claims of mental decline. Critics say imagine if Biden had done it. Scroll down for video and more.

Trump waves at 'empty space' in viral video,' critics claim 'mental decline getting worse' | WATCH

US President Donald Trump passed a test for signs of dementia and is in overall excellent health, but needs to shed weight by cutting calories, fats and carbohydrates and starting a daily exercise routine, the White House physician said on Tuesday.

Trump, who was coy about sharing medical information during his unconventional 2016 run for office, used his first presidential medical exam - conducted on Friday at Walter Reed National Medical Center - to try to put to rest lingering questions about his mental fitness for office.

Trump asked his physician, Dr Ronny Jackson, to add a cognitive screening test to the exam, and authorized him to release a battery of data from the tests.

Trump, 71, is known to enjoy high-fat foods like fried chicken, hamburgers and steak - and, while he plays golf, he does not have a daily exercise routine.

Jackson said Trump is going to try to lose 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kg) by eating better and starting to exercise,

The Navy doctor exhausted reporters&#39; questions during an unusually lengthy hour-long session, at Trump&#39;s request, and said he did not withhold any information in the interests of privacy.

&quot;He said, &#39;I want you to get out there and I want you to talk to them and I want you to answer every single question they have,&#39;&quot; Jackson said of Trump.

Cognitive test

Trump&#39;s mental fitness for the job had come under intense scrutiny after a recently published, controversial book, &quot;Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,&quot; portrayed him as childlike and mercurial.

Past presidents are not known to have been tested for mental acuity while in office - including Ronald Reagan, who five years after leaving the White House in 1989 was diagnosed with Alzheimer&#39;s disease, an incurable, degenerative brain condition.

Jackson, who speaks with Trump a few times a day and travels with him, said he did not think the president needed cognitive testing based on medical guidelines - but added the 30-question Montreal Cognitive Assessment at Trump&#39;s request.

The test looks for signs of Alzheimer&#39;s or other forms of dementia. Sample questions include asking the patient to draw a clockface, putting in all of the numbers and setting the clock hands to a specific time. The test does not assess psychiatric fitness.

Trump scored 30 out of 30 on the test, Jackson said. &quot;The president is mentally very sharp, very intact,&quot; the doctor said.

Dr&nbsp;Ronald Petersen, an Alzheimer&rsquo;s expert at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, said he could not comment specifically on the president&#39;s cognitive health. However, he did say that, in theory, a perfect score on the Montreal test does not necessarily rule out cognitive decline. It is &quot;just one measure in a clinical judgement,&quot; he said in an email.

More enthused about diet than exercise

Trump is considered overweight and borderline obese at 6 feet 3 inches (1.9 meters) tall and 239 pounds (108 kg). His blood pressure was 122/74, within normal bounds, and his cholesterol was on the high side, Jackson said.

But the physician said Trump&#39;s cardiac health was excellent, noting the president had undergone an exercise stress test, and said he consulted cardiologists about Trump&#39;s coronary calcium score.

Jackson credited the results to genetics. &quot;It&#39;s just the way God made him,&quot; he told reporters.

Jackson said he would increase Trump&#39;s daily dose of Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering drug, and bring in a nutritionist to work with White House chefs. The doctor said he would also design a daily exercise programme for Trump.

&quot;He&#39;s more enthusiastic about the diet part than the exercise part, but we&#39;re going to do both,&quot; Jackson said, adding that he might enlist first lady Melania Trump to help.

Ranit Mishori, an attending physician at Georgetown University-Providence Hospital in Washington, said Trump received more screening and diagnostic tests than are generally recommended for someone at his age and with his medical history.

With his reported eating habits and lack of exercise, it made sense for the White House to &quot;release all of this data to show that ... he is in good health,&quot; Mishori said.

Even without red flags from test results, Mishori said it was clear that Trump faces some risks.

&quot;He is a male and he is in his 70s and he is overweight, borderline obese, and he has high cholesterol. Those four factors alone put him at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease,&quot; she said.

Mishori disagreed with Jackson&#39;s assessment that Trump would be healthy for the rest of his term and possibly a second four-year term.

&quot;This was a bit of a snapshot in time,&quot; she said. &quot;I don&#39;t think this can be a definitive sign that he will be in this same state of health for the remainder of his term.&quot;

US President Donald Trump passed a test for signs of dementia and is in overall excellent health, but needs to shed weight by cutting calories, fats and carbohydrates and starting a daily exercise routine, the White House physician said

US President Donald Trump passed a test for signs of dementia and is in overall excellent health, but needs to shed weight by cutting calories, fats and carbohydrates and starting a daily exercise routine, the White House physician said on Tuesday. Trump, who was coy about sharing medical information during his unconventional 2016 run for office, used his first presidential medical exam - conducted on Friday at Walter Reed National Medical Center - to try to put to rest lingering questions about his mental fitness for office. Trump asked his physician, Dr Ronny Jackson, to add a cognitive screening test to the exam, and authorized him to release a battery of data from the tests. Trump, 71, is known to enjoy high-fat foods like fried chicken, hamburgers and steak - and, while he plays golf, he does not have a daily exercise routine. Jackson said Trump is going to try to lose 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kg) by eating better and starting to exercise, The Navy doctor exhausted reporters' questions during an unusually lengthy hour-long session, at Trump's request, and said he did not withhold any information in the interests of privacy. "He said, 'I want you to get out there and I want you to talk to them and I want you to answer every single question they have,'" Jackson said of Trump. Cognitive test Trump's mental fitness for the job had come under intense scrutiny after a recently published, controversial book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," portrayed him as childlike and mercurial. Past presidents are not known to have been tested for mental acuity while in office - including Ronald Reagan, who five years after leaving the White House in 1989 was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, an incurable, degenerative brain condition. Jackson, who speaks with Trump a few times a day and travels with him, said he did not think the president needed cognitive testing based on medical guidelines - but added the 30-question Montreal Cognitive Assessment at Trump's request. The test looks for signs of Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Sample questions include asking the patient to draw a clockface, putting in all of the numbers and setting the clock hands to a specific time. The test does not assess psychiatric fitness. Trump scored 30 out of 30 on the test, Jackson said. "The president is mentally very sharp, very intact," the doctor said. Dr Ronald Petersen, an Alzheimer’s expert at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, said he could not comment specifically on the president's cognitive health. However, he did say that, in theory, a perfect score on the Montreal test does not necessarily rule out cognitive decline. It is "just one measure in a clinical judgement," he said in an email. More enthused about diet than exercise Trump is considered overweight and borderline obese at 6 feet 3 inches (1.9 meters) tall and 239 pounds (108 kg). His blood pressure was 122/74, within normal bounds, and his cholesterol was on the high side, Jackson said. But the physician said Trump's cardiac health was excellent, noting the president had undergone an exercise stress test, and said he consulted cardiologists about Trump's coronary calcium score. Jackson credited the results to genetics. "It's just the way God made him," he told reporters. Jackson said he would increase Trump's daily dose of Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering drug, and bring in a nutritionist to work with White House chefs. The doctor said he would also design a daily exercise programme for Trump. "He's more enthusiastic about the diet part than the exercise part, but we're going to do both," Jackson said, adding that he might enlist first lady Melania Trump to help. Ranit Mishori, an attending physician at Georgetown University-Providence Hospital in Washington, said Trump received more screening and diagnostic tests than are generally recommended for someone at his age and with his medical history. With his reported eating habits and lack of exercise, it made sense for the White House to "release all of this data to show that ... he is in good health," Mishori said. Even without red flags from test results, Mishori said it was clear that Trump faces some risks. "He is a male and he is in his 70s and he is overweight, borderline obese, and he has high cholesterol. Those four factors alone put him at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease," she said. Mishori disagreed with Jackson's assessment that Trump would be healthy for the rest of his term and possibly a second four-year term. "This was a bit of a snapshot in time," she said. "I don't think this can be a definitive sign that he will be in this same state of health for the remainder of his term."

Trump is fit for duty, but should hit the gym: White House doctor

trump-mental-health

Trump Mental Health, News on Trump Mental Health, stories on Trump Mental Health, articles on Trump Mental Health, Trump Mental Health stories at Wion, Trump Mental Health news, Trump Mental Health latest news

trump mental-health

Trump waves at 'empty space' in viral video,' critics claim 'mental decline getting worse' | WATCH

Trump is fit for duty, but should hit the gym: White House doctor