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#TrumpStroke: Pence was on standby during president's secret visit to Walter Reed last year, claims book

The hashtag has been trending since the book revealed that the visit might have been more serious and the POTUS might have needed some procedure

Shortly after a report emerged on Monday, August 31, of President Donald Trump's unplanned visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last year, #TrumpStroke began trending on social media as many speculated that the Republican had suffered a stroke. The rumors began after a new book claimed that Vice President Mike Pence was put on standby to assume the presidency when Trump went to the medical facility.

Trump's sudden visit to the hospital last year, on November 16, 2019, had sparked health concerns but the White House rubbished speculations at the time stating that the president had visited Walter Reed for a quick examination. However, with recent revelations in the book, there are speculations that Trump had a stroke last year. The book, written by New York Times reporter Michael S Schmidt — ‘Donald Trump V. The United States: Inside the Struggle to Stop a President’ — claims that the White House wanted Pence "on standby to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized."

"If you are making fun of Biden for having a stutter, while ignoring the fact that Trump likely had a stroke, you are a moron. Biden uses his disorder to encourage children who also have the issue, while Trump cowers from his health ailments. #TrumpStroke," one user said on Twitter.

While another wrote: "How many strokes have you had this year @realDonaldTrump? Trump has gone to Walter Reed Hospital for more surprise visits than any President in history! #TrumpIsNotWell #TrumpStroke."

"Why isn’t every media outlet demanding answers on the #TrumpStroke that rushed him to Walter Reed?"

Many users also retweeted claims made by author Don Winslow on Twitter last month, where he said that three Trump administration whistleblowers had told him that Trump had suffered a "series" of "mini-strokes" over the years.

Winslow wrote: "One of the benefits of making videos that garner 5 million+ views is that you hear from a lot of people, including whistleblowers inside Trump administration. I've received three communications saying that during his term Trump has suffered a 'series' of 'mini-strokes'."

Many others tagged Trump's sons, stating that Americans have a right to know what's happening with the president. One user wrote: "Your father *clearly* has neurological damage — unstable gait, lagging left leg, needs two hands to guide a glass or bottle to his mouth, unclear speech... the American people have the right to know about what is really happening medically @POTUS #TrumpIsNotWell #TrumpStroke."

Trump, in June, had sparked health concerns after videos emerged of him gingerly walking down a ramp at the US Military Academy at West Point and later having trouble raising a glass of water to his mouth during a speech at West Point.

Trump, 74, the oldest a president has been in his first term, rubbished the rumors during his Tulsa rally on June 20, and gave a long-winded account of his strange behavior of why he was shuffling down a ramp and struggled to hold a glass of water with one hand. The incident had led to speculations of the president having Parkinson's.

Trump, while speaking during his first rally amid the coronavirus pandemic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, recounted the incident for at least 10 minutes. He told his supporters that he was made aware of the uproar by First Lady Melania Trump. "She said: 'They mention the fact that you may have Parkinson's disease,'" the Republican told the crowd, and then went on to explain that the ramp off the state at West Point was "like an ice skating rink."