President Donald Trump appeared to stumble over his words during a media briefing on Friday, leading to concerns and discussions about his mental fitness. The incident occurred during a press conference in which Trump swore in Alina Habba, 41, as the interim U.S. Attorney in New Jersey.
The Gaffe and Controversial Phrase
As Trump was speaking, he took a long pause in the middle of a sentence before saying a bizarre phrase that caught the attention of viewers.
“We hope this court system that’s become so active all of a sudden in trying to protect some very very bad, uh, people of crime,” Trump said after the pause.
He continued, “They have to stop. They have to let us do the job that we were elected to do the job. They shouldn’t be interfering in that. It’s a very sad thing going on, nobody can even believe it.”
This stumble led to a lot of reactions on social media, with many commenting on the president’s choice of words.
Reactions on Social Media
Dan Luchey, a former White House speechwriter for Joe Biden, took to Twitter, criticizing Trump’s “mental lapse”. He wrote, “Basically every day now, Donald Trump has a mental lapse that is objectively rougher than anything Joe Biden ever exhibited.”
Some viewers questioned whether Trump had caught himself before possibly saying “people of color,” but others defended him, saying that his mistake wasn’t as severe as what they claimed to be “unintelligible” moments from Biden.
Age-Related Cognitive Concerns
As concerns about cognitive decline grew during the 2024 presidential election, many started focusing on Biden’s health. Biden, who was 81 at the time, was the oldest president in U.S. history, and many felt that his mental decline was noticeable, especially during a presidential debate in July 2024.
After a lackluster performance, many figures in his own party began calling for him to step down. Ultimately, Biden did not run for re-election, and Kamala Harris assumed the presidency without a primary challenge, causing some frustration among voters.
However, Trump, who is also older and seeking a second term, faced his own health-related concerns. The Trump campaign refused to release medical records during the campaign, fueling more discussions about his cognitive health.