Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, accompanied by moderator and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R), arrived at a town hall event held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Centre and Fairgrounds in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on Monday. — AFP
Kamala Harris, questioning Donald Trump's mental state on Tuesday, expressed concern following the 78-year-old Republican's latest televised town hall, which took an unexpected turn into an impromptu music session. 'Hope he's okay,' the Democratic candidate posted on X. Harris's campaign, which has increasingly scrutinized Trump's health and mental stability, described his appearance during the late Monday event as 'lost, confused.' Trump's campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, however, characterized the interaction as 'something very special' between the billionaire and the crowd.
For approximately half an hour, the event in the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania proceeded as typical for a pre-election gathering on November 5: Trump fielded friendly questions from supporters regarding the economy and cost of living. Moderated by a staunch right-wing ally, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Trump appeared in control—though he mistakenly urged supporters to vote 'on January 5.' After the town hall was paused to attend to two audience members needing medical care, Trump shifted focus. Jokingly inquiring if 'anybody else would like to faint,' Trump declared, 'Let's not do any more questions. Let's just listen to music. Let's make it into a music. Who the hell wants to hear questions, right?'
Thus, for over half an hour, a Trump playlist played while the candidate mostly stood on stage, listening and slowly dancing. Trump's brief, jerky dance has long been a signature at the end of his rallies, typically to the Village People's 1978 disco anthem 'YMCA.' On Monday, however, he remained on stage for nine songs, ranging from opera to Rufus Wainwright's rendition of 'Hallelujah,' Elvis, and, of course, 'YMCA.' His dance routine evolved from the familiar jerky motion to a slow swaying. Often, he stood still, staring out into the crowd and occasionally pointing at people.
Harris and Trump are currently in a statistical tie, according to polls, with the election outcome likely to hinge on seven swing states where margins could be as narrow as 10,000 votes each. On Tuesday, Trump was scheduled to discuss the economy in Chicago and hold a rally in Georgia, a swing state. Meanwhile, Harris aimed to boost her appeal to Black male voters by giving an interview to popular radio host Charlamagne tha God. With just three weeks left, Harris has intensified her focus on Trump's health and age.
Turning 60 this Sunday, Harris recently released a medical report declaring her 'in excellent health,' with the 'physical and mental resiliency' to serve as president. In contrast, Trump, the oldest person ever nominated for a presidential bid, has not released a recent comprehensive health report, drawing sharp criticism from Harris. Her campaign quickly seized on the town hall episode, posting a video on X and stating, 'Trump appears lost, confused, and frozen on stage as multiple songs play for 30+ minutes and the crowd pours out of the venue early.'
In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform shortly before 1:00 am following the Pennsylvania town hall, Trump responded to Harris. Asserting he was 'far healthier' than the last four US presidents and 'far too busy campaigning'—apparently to undergo a new health test—he labeled Harris 'desperate' for demanding he provide health reports to the public and claimed she was 'dying to see my Cholesterol (which is 180!).'
