During his recent overseas journey, President Donald Trump embraced his former reality TV persona, delivering a humorous quip while aboard Air Force One. As the aircraft hit turbulence over Asia, Trump made light of the situation, suggesting how the media might sensationalize the encounter. “These are rough winds in Asia – I must tell you – this is a rough flight,” he remarked to the press. With a chuckle, he added, “They’re gonna watch Trump and say, ‘He didn’t look too good, he’s got the shakes.’”

The video of Trump’s playful comment circulated on social media platform X, garnering a mix of reactions. Many users praised his humor. One user, @_AHariharan, commented, “How can you hate this man when he’s so funny.” Harris Richard added, “One of the few things everyone should like about Trump is that he talks like a normal human and likes to make people laugh.” Roseanne Ragosta noted, “Trump runs circles around them all even in rough skies.”

However, not everyone was amused. For some, it was an opportunity to critique the president. User @JimJones69_ described Trump as “an insane fascist” but acknowledged his ability to appear personable, calling him “a next level con man.” Another critic, using the handle @pystcat.bsky.social, implied cognitive issues in Trump’s behavior, stating, “Grandpa has a lot more than the shakes. The way he babbles incoherently…that’s cognitive issues.”

Trump’s joke is characteristically well timed, as earlier this month, he underwent a routine annual check-up at Walter Reed Medical Center – his second of the year. Earlier on his trip to Asia, the president confirmed that he had been given an MRI scan during the latest hospital visit. It comes after he was seen by physicians for an annual check-up at the start of April. A memo from the White House physician at the time noted the president to be exhibiting ‘excellent cognitive and physical health.’

It was revealed earlier this year that the 79-year-old president is suffering from chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a common condition in older people that increases the risk of blood clots. Trump’s hands have been photographed in the Oval Office, either with bruises or makeup obviously covering the purple marks. Photographs have also emerged of the president’s ankles that appeared to be swollen, something that is unsurprising given his CVI diagnosis.

The condition often leads to poor blood flow and fluid buildup when the veins in the legs, particularly in the ankles, do not function properly. Yet, Trump doesn’t appear to be concerned about his health or intent on slowing down his manic routines any time soon. At a speech given to Navy sailors at the beginning of October, Trump boasted that his former White House Doctor, Ronny Jackson, who was also on the White House medical team during the Bush and Obama years, frequently praised his health.