Erdogan redirects Trump after awkward moment at NATO arrival

President Donald Trump triggered fresh speculation about his mental acuity after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan grabbed him by the arm and physically steered him into position at a welcome ceremony for the NATO summit in Turkey. The footage, captured beside the Qatari-gifted Air Force One after it landed in Ankara on Tuesday, shows the pair greeting each other with a handshake and chatting for a few minutes before walking towards the carpet.

But moments later, Trump stopped abruptly and turned toward a line of soldiers at the wrong mark. Erdogan intervened, holding his arm again and pointing toward the correct spot. Both Trump and Erdoğan are facing scrutiny over the state of their physical and mental health. Erdoğan has recently drawn attention for verbal stumbles, moments of confusion, and a slowed walking pace, according to the Daily Beast.

President Trump landed at a newly built airfield that Erdoğan prepared specifically for the summit, as part of an effort to cut down motorcades and reduce travel time for arriving delegations, TRT World reported. A total of 32 NATO countries, plus allies such as Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss spending targets, defense industrial production and support for Ukraine, among other topics.

This is not the first time Trump has stumbled at an airbase. He was recently captured struggling to enter his SUV, losing his footing as he placed one foot inside and pausing for several seconds on one leg to regain his balance before finally climbing into the vehicle. The clip was captured as the President left for Joint Base Andrews, where he boarded the new Air Force One for a trip to North Dakota. He was followed into the vehicle by First Lady Melania Trump and his eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.

In fact, this is not the only type of unusual incident afflicting Trump. His second term has been dogged by several clips appearing to show him asleep at important events, including at the White House and an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden. The pattern has been so widespread that even while celebrating his 80th birthday with a UFC event on the White House lawn, Trump was accused of nodding off, despite the electrifying atmosphere.

The President has remained defiant in the face of mounting criticism, dismissing any doubt about his fitness for office by touting the results of his physical examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which he described as "extremely good" in a Truth Social post. "I scored a perfect 30 out of 30, considered 'extreme intelligence', unlike other U.S. presidents, none of whom have ever taken an approved, high-difficulty cognitive test," he said.