Donald Trump, 80, is facing fresh scrutiny over his cognitive health after a video showed him waving toward an empty tarmac before boarding a flight to Kansas.
The footage, captured as the president prepared to depart for a rally, shows him gesturing and saluting in a direction where no staff, supporters, or dignitaries are visible once the camera pulls back. The clip has circulated widely online, with viewers questioning who Trump was acknowledging and whether the moment points to a larger issue.
Trump’s physical and mental fitness has remained a persistent topic since he returned to the White House in January 2025. The administration has faced repeated questions after a series of visible health markers and public moments drew attention. Bruising on his hands was dismissed by the White House as the result of excessive handshaking, while swelling on his legs led to a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency. More recently, multiple instances appeared to show him struggling to stay awake during meetings.
Trump and his inner circle have consistently rejected any suggestion of decline. At a recent rally, he directly addressed the topic: “I think I am sharper now than I was 20 years ago. I don’t know why… I feel the same.”
He also claimed to have aced “every single question” on a cognitive test during his first term.
The Kansas-bound trip came as Trump’s approval ratings have dropped since the beginning of the Iran war, fueling speculation about his political future and whether Democrats could regain power. Some observers have even suggested he might seek an unprecedented third term through a constitutional loophole, though the midterm elections are expected to offer a clearer picture of his standing.
The wave toward empty space is not the first recent moment to raise eyebrows. Earlier coverage noted a strange hand twitch while Trump climbed the stairs to Air Force One, adding to the pattern of incidents his opponents have seized upon.
Trump built part of his political identity around attacking predecessor Joe Biden as “sleepy” and mentally unfit, making the current scrutiny particularly pointed. The contrast between his past rhetoric and his present circumstances has become a recurring theme in coverage of his second term.
The White House has not issued a specific response to the latest video, though the outlet contacted officials for comment. The president’s allies have generally framed such moments as misinterpretations or routine gestures caught at awkward angles, while critics view them as accumulating evidence of concern.
The Kansas rally proceeded as scheduled, with Trump continuing his active travel schedule despite the online chatter. His insistence on his own sharpness and his reference to past cognitive testing suggest he recognizes the political stakes of the perception issue, even as he dismisses the underlying concerns.
The midterm elections will test whether voters share the worries voiced by some commentators, or whether the health questions fade against larger political and economic currents.