Donald Trump Seemingly Trips on Stairs Before Speech, Concerning Onlookers

President Donald Trump held another outdoor rally on Friday night, this time in Manchester, New Hampshire. At the start of the event, Trump appeared to trip as he walked onto the stage. Some reporters at the event said it was a joke, while others thought it was a genuine near-trip. Trump’s rally took place a day after he accepted the Republican nomination for president at the White House on Thursday. The incident inspired more speculation about Trump’s health from those who thought the trip was genuine.

As Trump walked up the stairs, he wobbled a bit before regaining his balance. New York Times photographer Doug Mills shared a photo of the moment, classifying it as a joke immediately, notes Mediaite. Others suggested it might have been a genuine trip. NBC News reporter Shannon Pettypiece reported that Trump “almost” tripped and quipped, “They put a floor in like an ice skating rink.” Chris Sommerfeldt of the New York Daily News also reported that Trump “almost just fell.”

The Democratic National Committee War Room tweeted a video of the near trip, writing, “Imagine if it had been a ramp,” referring to Trump’s struggle with the ramp at the West Point graduation ceremony in June. “He did that as a joke,” the Trump campaign war room tweeted in response. CBS News’ Paula Reid said she was not in New Hampshire, but she spoke with Mills, who also told her, “This time, it was a joke.”

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Trump’s rally in New Hampshire happened a day after the Republican National Convention ended. According to the Union-Leader, about 1,000 people attended. Many were packed together, ignoring social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic. The staff did hand out red face masks and a recorded message played reminding people to wear masks, following Gov. Chris Sununu’s executive order. The crowd reportedly booed during the message.

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