President Donald Trump got sidelined Monday during a solemn event to boast about having given “a lot of money” to a woman for eye surgery — a woman that the president singled out from the crowd.
Held at the White House, the event saw Trump officially declare Monday to be “Angel Family Day” in honor of the families of victims of crimes by undocumented migrants. Trump spoke at length about his immigration policy before spotting a woman in the crowd, prompting him to engage in the bizarre exchange.
“Hello darling, how are you? My friend, right? Are you okay? Yes, you, are you okay? Are you okay?” Trump said, pointing at the woman attendee, who told Trump that they were well. “Good. Are your eyes okay? I gave her money to get her eyes fixed – a lot of money! The doctor ripped me off, but that's okay”
Trump asked the woman when her scheduled operation was, which the woman told Trump was planned for Wednesday. Again, Trump zeroed in on the cost of the medical procedure that he had apparently paid for, noting that her medical provider was “expensive.”
“It's an operation but it's 100%, you know it's great. You're gonna have 20/20 vision! She's almost blind – cataracts – she's almost blind, and with one operation that'll take a very short period of time,” Trump continued.
It was never made clear who the woman was.
“Hope you have a good doctor. He's an expensive doctor! Top of the line, right? But you know what, you're gonna have 20/20 vision because I noticed you wearing glasses – I saw you yesterday on television wearing glasses and I said ‘wow.’”
Trump’s ramblings sparked comment from onlookers, including journalist Aaron Rupar, who argued Trump’s off-topic remarks had taken the event “totally off the rails.”