Russian state TV questions Trump's mental fitness after bizarre town hall

Former President Donald Trump's “mental abilities” were questioned on Russian state television after a town hall event in which the ex-president stopped answering questions and instead danced on stage for an extended period of time.

After two attendees fainted and needed medical attention during the town hall in Pennsylvania on Monday, Trump suddenly told the crowd that he “didn't want to ask any more questions” and instead “just wanted to listen to music.”

“Let’s make music out of it. “Who the hell wants to hear questions, right?” Trump said before standing awkwardly on stage and sometimes dancing while music played for 39 minutes.

Russian state television host Olga Skabeyeva, dubbed the “Iron Doll of Putin TV” because she often promotes propaganda in favor of Russian President Vladimir Putin, pointed out the bizarre episode during the Russia-1 program on Tuesday.

Julia Davis, the founder of the watchdog group Russia Media Monitor, wrote in one post told

Skabeyeva said during the broadcast that Trump was “suspected of unfitness due to his advanced age” and claimed that “Democratic propaganda” pointed to “an event in Pennsylvania where Donald refused to answer questions and instead offered to to dance,” according to a translation from Davis’ group.

During the same broadcast, US-based Russia 1 correspondent Igor Naimushin later pointed out that Trump had claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris instead had problems with “cognitive stamina and agility”, before suggesting that in his opinion there was reason to The assumption is that Trump is mentally disabled and unfit.

“I must acknowledge that the former and possibly future US president often repeats himself during his speeches,” Naimushin said as a video of Trump dancing at the town hall was played. “Indeed, he gives reason to doubt his mental abilities… He is not far behind current President Joe Biden (in age).”

Newsweek reached out to Trump's office via email Tuesday evening seeking comment.

Questions about Trump's mental fitness, stemming in part from his behavior at Monday's town hall, were not limited to Russian state television.

The view Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump aide, said during a show on Tuesday that Trump was experiencing “a very real decline” and was “not even the man I worked for, who had all sorts of problems back then.” .

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung, in posts to

“Great love fest at the PA City Hall! Everyone was so excited they passed out so @realDonaldTrump turned to music,” Cheung wrote. “Nobody wanted to go and hear more songs from the famous DJT Spotify playlist!”

Trump, 78, is the oldest major party US presidential candidate in history and has increasingly faced questions about his cognitive abilities and suitability for the office since Harris replaced the 81-year-old Biden, who has often been targeted with similar questions was taken.

A Marquette Law School poll released earlier this month found that 61 percent of registered voters thought Trump was “too old to be president,” while just 13 percent said the same about Harris.