‘I Guess I Could Do It Too, But…’: Trump Accidentally Reveals He’s Jealous of Obama’s Health, and the Way He Said It Has Everyone in Stitches
President Donald Trump, 79, went on a wild tangent about former President Barack Obama, 64, while addressing U.S. military leaders. His unexpected detour into former presidents’ past missteps left listeners in the room and people online confused.
Social media quickly gathered up on the comments, with users dissecting his phrasing and debating whether he was making a broader point about leadership—or just complaining again about things not going his way.
Trump joined Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, on Sept. 30. At one point, the current commander in chief’s speech mentioned how Obama uses steps.
“A few of our presidents have fallen, and it became a part of their legacy. We don’t want that,” Trump told the military brass after claiming former President Joe Biden repeatedly fell down stairs.
He continued, “You walk nice and easy. You don’t have to set any record. Be cool when you walk down, but don’t bop down the stairs. So, one thing with Obama, I had zero respect for him as a president, but he would bop down those stairs.”
Trump then began imitating Obama before adding, “He’d go down the stairs. Wouldn’t hold on. I said, ‘It’s great. I don’t want to do it. I guess I could do it.’ But eventually, bad things are going to happen. And it only takes once.”
A clip of Trump’s remarks about his presidential predecessor spread across social media on Tuesday, causing jokesters to clown him for randomly bringing up Obama. Even some of his MAGA supporters were confused by what the Republican politician had to say to the generals and admirals.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge DJT supporter, but he’s rambling and needs to wrap it up,” a self-identified Trump backer expressed on X.
The silent reactions from the audience of armed service members to Trump’s comments about Obama led to one person tweeting, “It’s like watching a guy bomb at open mic night.”
Similarly, a third poster wrote, “I am sure these military leaders had far more important things to do than listen to Trump’s word salad about Obama and whine that they didn’t clap for him.”
Another X user suggested, “He’s so jealous of Obama.” Someone else wondered, “Wait, so because he went down the stairs without holding the railing is a sign of a bad president? Please tell me this is AI, as this is just weird.”
Trump’s bizarre mini-rant about Obama in Virginia could be connected to the University of Pennsylvania graduate’s recent history of having trouble with stairs.
In June 2025, Trump momentarily stumbled up the steps while boarding Air Force One. Footage of the slip went viral, and meme-creators had a field day making fun of the moment.
More recently, the president and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, were forced to walk up an escalator in the United Nations building after the machine abruptly shut down.
Trump accused the U.N. of sabotage and called for a formal investigation. A spokesperson for the international organization insisted the escalator stoppage was an accident, possibly caused by a videographer from the U.S. delegation.
Incoherent speeches and difficulty with stairs have been part of the reason Trump has faced concerns about the state of his health and fitness. He has also been seen with a large bruise on his right hand.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt maintained the abrasions were the result of Trump shaking hands every day, but that explanation did not quash the rampant online theories about the president’s wellness.
However, the White House has acknowledged that the president was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a medical condition that causes symptoms such as varicose veins, inflammation, and hyperpigmentation.
There has also been widespread speculation about Trump disappearing from public view between Aug. 26 and Aug. 28. Erroneous rumors that the Queens, New York, native had passed away took over social media for days.