By Former President Donald Trump, 78, faced an embarrassing moment during a rally in Minnesota when he experienced a noticeable wobble at the podium, prompting his opponents to label him as “feeble.” The incident occurred on Friday while Trump was delivering a speech to a large crowd at the Minnesota Republican Party’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner in St. Paul.
Video footage captured the moment when Trump stumbled forward and had to grip the lectern to steady himself. In an attempt to play off the incident, he quipped, “The fricking place is falling down,” eliciting laughter from the audience. He further joked, “I notice it keeps tilting to the left, like too many other things,” and added, “What a crappy contractor this was,” causing an uproar of laughter once again.
However, Trump’s opponents were quick to seize on the moment as evidence of his physical weakness. A post on X from Biden-Harris HQ read, “A feeble Trump nearly falls down on stage after he leans on his podium too hard and then goes on an angry rant, calling his event workers ‘crappy.'”
The ages and abilities of both Biden, 81, and Trump have been a topic of discussion throughout the election cycle, with each candidate facing scrutiny for embarrassing gaffes that their respective teams have attributed to senility. A recent poll revealed that 60 percent of Americans do not believe either Trump or Biden possesses the mental capacity to serve as president.
Despite the incident, thousands of supporters turned out to hear Trump speak at the event. During his speech, the former president reiterated his unfounded claim that the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden, was marred by widespread fraud. “I know we won (Minnesota) in 2020,” Trump said to applause, adding, “We’ve got to be careful. We’ve got to watch those votes.”
Trump campaign officials have publicly and privately insisted that Trump can beat Biden in Minnesota in their upcoming November 5 rematch. However, available polling data and the state’s political history suggest that the former president faces an uphill battle. Major independent polls consistently show Biden holding a slim lead of 2 to 4 percentage points in Minnesota.
While Minnesota’s rural areas have shifted towards Republicans over the last decade, suburban areas around Minneapolis have moved towards Democrats, mirroring broader nationwide trends. A Trump campaign official declined to comment directly on whether they planned to allocate resources to the state.
During his speech, Trump also reiterated his calls for a “massive deportation” of immigrants living in the country illegally and doubled down on promises to construct a new missile defense system, comparing it to Israel’s “Iron Dome” program.
Outside the dinner venue, scores of pro-Palestine protesters and demonstrators carrying signs reading “Remove Trump” could be seen, highlighting the divisive nature of the former president’s candidacy.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the physical and mental fitness of both candidates will likely remain a topic of intense scrutiny and debate, with incidents like Trump’s wobble at the Minnesota rally providing fodder for his opponents and raising questions about his suitability for office.
