A press conference on weight loss drugs at the White House took a turn last week, producing a viral moment which has been branded as the 'defining' image of Trump's presidency so far.
Since taking office at the start of the year, Donald Trump has racked up a great number of viral photo moments, from the 79-year-old turning the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom for ex-bestie Elon Musk to world leaders being given a tour of the Trump merch store.
However, a new contender for the defining image of Trump's second term in office has entered the arena, one which has left internet users divided.
On 7 November, the US leader gave an announcement in the Oval Office about lowering the cost of injectable weight loss drugs, after reaching a deal with manufacturers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.
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However, the moment was overshadowed by one of the guests suddenly taking ill and collapsing on camera.
The man collapsed as Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks had been speaking, prompting him to ask if the man was 'okay' before press were ushered out of the room and cameras cut.
The clip appeared on social media moments after and was, of course, subject to extensive analysis and interpretations by the public, who all weighed in with their thoughts on the president's reaction.
You can watch the moment here:
And the consensus suggested it was not a good look for Trump.
"Photo speaks 1000 words. The man fainting is the United States right now. That's Trump standing there like a dullard, not giving a f**k," read one reaction to the incident, while a second penned: "This photo right here is exactly who Donald Trump is,a soulless ghoul who cares about no one but himself."
"The defining photo of the Trump presidency," added a third.
However, not everyone agreed that Trump appeared completely soulless throughout the interaction, with others arguing that he appeared concerned in subsequent photos and video clips.
"President Trump was visibly concerned pressing a desk button," argued another user, as a fifth added: "No wonder Trump always scolded the American media and journalists. After someone fainted in the Oval Office, someone posted Picture 1, meaning that 'Trump was indifferent to someone fainting', but in fact, Trump was quite nervous at that time."
As for the man who collapsed, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed the man was a representative for one of the companies and was ultimately okay.
"You saw he went down. And he’s fine. They just sent him out," Trump said of the whole incident.
"He’s got doctors’ care. But he’s fine."
Ricks later confirmed the man was a representative from Eli Lilly, adding there was 'nothing to be concerned' about in regards to the man's well-being.
"Gordon was one of the Lilly guests at the White House today. He became faint, and if you’ve ever been in the Oval Office, you stand a long time, and it’s warm," he said.
"Pleased to say that the White House medical staff did a great job and he’s doing great."
Topics: US News, Social Media, Health
Brenna Cooper