California Governor Gavin Newsom pounced after Fox News aired footage showing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan guiding President Donald Trump down the tarmac after exiting Air Force One.
Trump arrived in Ankara, Turkey, for a NATO summit where allies were expected to press him on Washington's plans for troop reductions in Europe, seek assurances of continued support for Ukraine ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and hear his remarks at a news conference before he returned to Washington.
Fox News showed Trump's arrival in Turkey, where he was welcomed on the tarmac by Erdoğan, who briefly took Trump by the arm and accompanied him down the runway.
You can see the moment in the video below.
The footage quickly caught the attention of Newsom, who responded with a tongue-in-cheek post in a style reminiscent of Trump's own frenetic Truth Social messages, joking that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had become Trump's "caretaker":
"THE PRESIDENT OF TURKEY IS NOW DONALD TRUMP’S CARETAKER. BIG JOB. DON’T FORGET NAP TIME. GOOD LUCK!"
You can see Newsom's response below.
This is sure to hit a sore spot with the thin-skinned Trump, considering Newsom is widely expected to seek the presidency in 2028 and is one of the most prominent voices drawing attention to Trump’s perceived cognitive and physical decline.
Trump has grown increasingly fixated on the idea that prospective presidential candidates should undergo cognitive testing, even as he continues to target Newsom. On top of that, he has repeatedly had to cover for always falling asleep during meetings and events, and regularly rages against anyone who points out obvious signs that he's slowing down.
Compounding matters, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently denied that Trump falls asleep during Cabinet meetings, even when presented with video evidence while testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The footage of Trump appearing to receive assistance while walking across the tarmac also prompted criticism from other social media users.
The footage of Trump being escorted across the tarmac surfaced as renewed attention focused on the recurring discoloration on his hands, an issue the White House has repeatedly declined to fully explain.
Photographers captured close-up images of Trump seated beside Erdoğan. In the photos, the back of Trump's right hand—visible beneath the cuff of his white shirt and presidential cufflinks—appeared noticeably darker than the surrounding skin, with some observers suggesting it looked as though it had been covered with concealer.
The recurring bruising has continued to fuel public speculation and questions about the president's health, despite the White House maintaining that there is no cause for concern.
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