NEWS'He Needs a Handler': Donald Trump Sparks 'Dementia' Fears as Turkish President Has to Guide Him to Podium After POTUS Nearly Wanders Off — Watch
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan helped Donald Trump get to the right spot after coming off his plane.
July 8 2026, Published 12:04 p.m. ET
Donald Trump's behavior in Ankara, Turkey, has fueled concerns for his mental and physical health.
In a viral video after the POTUS touched down in the country, he was greeted by the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As they began walking on a laid out carpet, Trump suddenly stopped and turned to the side, appearing as if he was going to wander off.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Guides Donald Trump
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan grabbed Donald Trump by the arm to guide him to the podium.
His behavior prompted Erdogan, 72, to grab his arm and guide him back to their intended route, with the Turkish leader even appearing to point to the area they were headed. He kept his hand on the POTUS' arm for several seconds, guiding him to the spot where a microphone stood, waiting for the Republican, 80, to speak.
Social Media Weighs In
The POTUS' behavior had social media users accusing him of having 'dementia.'
Social media was quick to comment on the situation, with one person joking, "No, Grandpa, we go this way. The microphone is over there. Just listen to me."
"Trump needs a handler as his dementia seems to be getting worse!" another critic declared. "Dear heaven why did it have to be Erdogan? America better stand up together before there is no America!"
"Oh gosh, he is so pitiful and such an embarrassment," said someone else. "It seems most people across the globe can see through him. The only ones that can’t are the Magas."
Donald Trump Calls TikTok 'Tic Tac'
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The Turkish president held onto Donald Trump for several seconds.
Trump sparked more headlines when he sat down for a chat and falsely bragged about his popularity on TikTok — though in one comment, he mispronounced the app's name.
"You know, I watched a couple of people critical of the fact that TikTok, TikTok is so bad, it's so dangerous, it's so horrible, they're spreading all these rumors," he shared. "And the numbers came out yesterday, and you know who's number one on Tic Tac? I am."
"I'm number one on TikTok," Trump emphasized.
Donald Trump falsely claimed he's more popular on TikTok than Taylor Swift.
"Taylor Swift was No. 11. I'm No. 1 in TikTok by far," he alleged.
Trump's statements were incorrect, as the Grammy winner, 36, currently has 33.5 million followers on the platform while Trump has 16.7 million.
Donald Trump has been sparking dementia concerns for months.
Dementia concerns for the businessman are nothing new, as professionals claimed that despite his clean bill of health, he's exhibited signs of the disease.
In October 2025, Dr. John Gartner said the president has shown a "massive increase" in "clinical signs of dementia."
Most recently, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker claimed in a CNN interview that Trump "is continually suffering from dementia. I don't think he really understands what he's saying."
"I think he has these concepts in his head and he blurts them out without really thinking," he added.
