During the launch of his new discount drug platform, Trump RX, President Donald Trump appeared winded, prompting social media users to voice concerns about his health. The launch took place Thursday evening at a White House press conference, where Trump highlighted his initiative aimed at helping Americans access more affordable prescription medications.
Trump RX is designed not to sell drugs directly but to connect users with participating drugmakers’ direct-to-consumer sites. The platform is part of Trump’s long-standing effort to reduce prescription drug costs for U.S. citizens.
As the president spoke, viewers noticed that he seemed out of breath. Wearing a purple tie and speaking about the platform as one of the most “transformative health care initiatives of all time,” Trump emphasized that Trump RX would offer “dramatic discounts” on commonly used medications. Concerns about Trump’s health have been a recurring topic for observers, especially following other events such as the Trump sparks major health fears with public appearances and reports of unusual behavior on television broadcasts.
Social media quickly reacted. One user on X commented: “I have to imagine Trump only has 3–4 good hours a day now. He sleeps in, takes a 90-minute shower, sits in his makeup chair for 2 hours, eats 3 McDonald’s Happy Meals, and then fights to stay awake during his meetings before ranting the rest of the night on his socials.” Others wrote simply, “He’s struggling,” or, “He sounds winded,” while some noted his breathing appeared labored.
Trump RX builds on Trump’s previous work with the drug industry. Last year, his administration negotiated deals with at least 16 pharmaceutical companies through the “Most Favored Nation” drug-pricing initiative. This allows Americans to purchase certain medications directly from manufacturers at reduced prices via Trump RX. Some notable agreements included Trump’s would-be assassin Ryan Routh incident and other high-profile events reported in real time.
Participating companies include Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, which will offer obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound for just $150 per month. Other medications covered under the agreements include Merck’s diabetes drug Januvia and Amgen’s cholesterol-lowering drug Repatha. The full list of participating drugs has not been publicly released, though coverage and negotiations continue to make headlines, such as Fox News halts broadcast as would-be assassin drama unfolds.
However, experts caution that the platform is unlikely to significantly impact drug prices for Americans with Medicare or private insurance, and those on Medicaid already benefit from very low or no copays. Past reporting has also highlighted instances where Trump’s promises or initiatives raised public attention, including Trump sends chilling threat to Iran and Trump’s creepy Valentine’s Day email asks.
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