President Donald Trump froze in the Oval Office on Thursday afternoon as a man collapsed while standing just behind him.
A group of pharmaceutical executives and Trump officials were gathered for the president’s announcement that he had reached a deal with major drug companies to slash weight loss drug prices when the chaos unfolded.
The man was looking on as Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks was speaking before he stumbled and collapsed.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, who had just spoken, jumped to attention and quickly rushed over to help as those standing around him grabbed the man before he hit the ground.
Trump slowly got up from where he was seated at his desk and looked on as others laid the man out on the ground. He continued to stand nearby watching quietly.
While others rushed to assist, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. could also be seen quietly stepping away.
The press including reporters and photographers were quickly hustled from the room.
The White House has released a statement saying the man OK and being treated, but it did not identify him.
“During the Most Favored Nations Oval Office Announcement, a representative with one of the companies fainted,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “The White House Medical Unit quickly jumped into action, and the gentleman is okay.”
Trump had just been touting the agreement that would cut prices for so-called GLP-1 drugs for Medicare and Medicaid recipients starting next year. It would also offer treatment directly to consumers on the discount website TrumpRx.gov.
There are several reports that the person was a patient who uses a GLP-1 drug.
Those in attendance besides the president, Oz, Kennedy, and Ricks included Novo Nordisk’s Mike Doustdar and David Moore as well as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The press conference later resumed, with Trump saying one of the representatives from one of the companies got a “little bit lightheaded” and “went down” but is “fine.”
The post Trump Freezes as Man Collapses Right Behind Him in Oval Office appeared first on The Daily Beast.
