By Sebastian Smith, AFP
Kamala Harris has questioned Donald Trump's mental state after the 78-year-old Republican's latest televised town hall veered into a surreal, impromptu music session.
"Hope he's okay," the Democratic candidate posted on X.
Harris' campaign, which has begun to aggressively challenge Trump on his health and mental stability, said that during the late Monday event he appeared "lost, confused, and frozen on stage".
Former president Trump defended the event in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, saying it was "so different".
"It was amazing! The Q and A was almost finished when people began fainting from the excitement and heat," Trump posted on his Truth Social network.
"We started playing music while we waited, and just kept it going. So different, but it ended up being a GREAT EVENING!"
He then hit out at vice president Harris, who released a White House medical report at the weekend that said she was fit for the highest office and challenged Trump to do the same.
"With all of the problems that she has, there is a real question as to whether or not she should be running for President! MY REPORT IS PERFECT - NO PROBLEMS!!!"
Trump's campaign spokesman Steven Cheung declared that "something very special" had taken place between the billionaire and the crowd.
'Let's just listen to music'
For about half an hour, the event in Oaks near Philadelphia was standard fare ahead of the 5 November election: Trump took friendly questions from supporters on the economy and cost of living.
With the session moderated by a loyal right-wing ally, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Trump was on cruise control - although he got the election date wrong by two months, urging supporters to vote "on January 5".
After the town hall paused for two audience members who required medical attention, Trump then switched focus.
Jokingly asking whether "anybody else would like to faint," Trump declared: "Let's not do any more questions."
"Let's just listen to music. Let's make it into a music. Who the hell wants to hear questions, right?" Trump said.
And so they did: for more than half an hour, the Trump playlist blasted while the candidate mostly stood on stage listening and slowly dancing.
Trump has made a brief, jerky dance his signature at the end of rallies for years, nearly always to his exit song - the Village People's 1978 disco anthem 'YMCA'.
On Monday, however, he stayed on stage for nine songs, ranging from opera to a series of Trump favourites, including Guns N' Roses' 'November Rain', Rufus Wainwright's rendition of 'Hallelujah', Elvis and of course 'YMCA'.
And his dance routine expanded from the familiar jerky motion to a slow swaying. Often, however, he did not dance but stood in place and stared out into the crowd and sometimes pointed at people.
Trump oldest nominee ever
Harris and Trump are locked in a dead heat, according to polls, and the election is set to be decided by seven swing states where the margins could come down to barely 10,000 votes each.
On Tuesday, Trump was set to discuss the economy in Chicago and hold a rally in Georgia, a swing state. Harris was giving an interview to popular radio host Charlamagne tha God in an effort to boost her messaging to Black male voters - a part of the electorate where Trump has made gains.
With only three weeks to go, Harris has begun to home in on Trump's health and age. She turns 60 this Sunday and last weekend released a medical report in which the White House doctor declared her "in excellent health", with the "physical and mental resiliency" to serve as president.
Trump is now the oldest person ever to be nominated for a presidential bid, after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race following a disastrous debate that sparked fears about his own age.
Trump, who has been the target of two assassination attempts during the campaign, has not released a recent comprehensive report on his state of health, prompting fierce criticism from Harris.
- AFP
