Dear Editor,

At the recent West Point Commencement Ceremony, where President Trump, sans wearing a protective mask, which is strongly recommended by virtually all medical professionals, gave the commencement speech honoring the Academy’s 2020 graduates.

The President was seen as having a great deal of difficulty simply raising a glass of water to his lips, needing both hands to navigate the vessel to its desired destination.

And he was also was seen to have struggled mightily down a nearby ramp, walking gingerly one step at a time when exiting from the event.

I find it, although quite concerning, quite hypocritical and ironic as President Trump, nor have any members of the Trump family, past or present, ever served in our nation’s military in any capacity whatsoever.

And the President has literally mocked others for what he perceives to be physical and/or mental deficiencies in the part of others.

In particular, he has targeted the 2020 presidential Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, referring often to him as “sleepy Joe.”

He says that he is “so old and feeble, he doesn’t know he’s alive.” He use as well ther such epithets, which he had also repeatedly given to his Democratic presidential opponent in 2016, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

He highlighted her self-perceived “physical shortcomings” in order to bring question to her physical capabilities to assume the role of president of the United States.

President Trump at the very aforementioned recent event appeared very frail.

However, he later attempted to explain away his very unsteady gait by stating the ramp was “very long and steep” and that it was “very slippery.”

It was obvious that no one else experienced such difficulty in making the descent.

He was accompanied on the brief descent by the Academy’s superintendent, who obviously had no such difficulty on the ramp.

In fact, he was seen to assist the president down the walkway.

In closing, the American citizenry has very little knowledge, if any, regarding President Trump’s physical well being.

He has unprecedentedly for any previous chief executive refused to divulge any pertinent such information, as in 2016 during his initial run for the White House.

It had been reported and verified that the results of his physical exam were actually dictated by Mr. Trump and more recently, in 2019 President Trump had an “unscheduled appointment” at Walter Reed Hospital.

But no results were ever reported as is customary to the public at that time.

Most concerning, indeed.

Richard Hord

Martins Ferry