Wild theory about 'Zapper woman' goes viral after she's spotted making hand gesture behind Donald Trump

During an Oval Office announcement on vaccines yesterday (10 August), it’s said Donald Trump began to embody the very nickname he gave to his predecessor.

Yep, the US president appeared to become ‘sleepy’ as the talks took place on a live stream – opening up to a whole load of mockery.

But it’s also opened the gates to the conspiracy theory of a ‘Zapper woman’ in the White House as she appeared to make a hand gesture behind Trump.

Jayme Leagh Franklin was stood behind the president, along with Robert F. Kennedy Jr, as he signed the executive order for changes to the recommendations for childhood vaccines.

Former Trump administration staffer, she is the CEO of conservative media and lifestyle brand The Conservateur. But viral theories reckon she’s taken on a new role in supposedly ‘zapping’ the president awake.

Clips are circulating on social media that show Franklin seeming to occasionally pat an area of her stomach concealed by a red scarf.

And it’s claimed that whenever she would ‘press’ this part of her torso, Trump would suddenly ‘wake up’ from his nodding off. So, she would supposedly, somehow, ‘zap’ the president back to consciousness for the press appearance.

“Claims she has a button fitted on her belly, and when she gets the nod that he’s asleep she moves her hand and presses a button that wakes him,” one viral post on X explains.

“They’re calling her The Zapper. No idea if it’s true but it *appears* to line up.”

While another put: “She’s called The Zapper. Presses zapper on her stomach and it zaps Sleepy Don awake.”

With another joking: “Bro’s getting rebooted like a malfunctioning laptop!”

It is worth pointing out that Franklin seemed to stand with her hand placed in this position for much of the appearance, regardless of Trump's state and it could perfectly well have just been her natural movements and stance as she stood before the public.

What was the 'Zapper woman' actually doing at Trump's press conference?

Franklin, a mother-of-one with another child on the way, was seemingly there to express her support for Trump's new vaccine policy.

The president signed an order that recommends the number of recommended vaccines for children is reduced from 18 to 11.

The vaccines no longer recommended are for respiratory syncytial virus, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, dengue, and Covid-19.

He also wants the MMR vaccine for mumps, measles and rubella separated out into separate shots, repeating debunked claims it could cause autism and describing the current MMR jab as 'quite lethal'.

Franklin - allegedly inbetween shocking the president awake - said she supports the new guidance on vaccinations.

She said in the Oval Office: “I’m a mom. I have a three-and-a-half-year-old and another one on the way.

“No parents should feel the pressure of, immediately their child is born, and a bunch of vaccines are pressured and pushed upon them.

“This is about freedom at the end of the day. This is what this country was built on. Freedom for parents to make the decisions that best suit their kid.

“I’m not anti-vaccine at all. I’m pro-vaccine. But we want to able to have the freedom to space it out and choose which one works for our child.

"We don’t believe that there’s a one-size-fits-all solution for every child.”

On Instagram, she said she was 'honored to join President Trump in the Oval Office', adding: "Parents know their children best. They should be empowered with transparent information, sound science, and the freedom to make the choices they believe are right for their families.

"I’m grateful to President Trump and his administration for putting parents back at the center of these deeply personal decisions and for continuing to champion healthier families and a healthier America."

LADbible Group has contacted the White House for comment.