Theresa May's team says she held hands with Trump at Trump's request, because he is afraid of stairs

[kpete]

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/trump-and-charles-in-climate-row-d2qwb7962?CMP=Spklr-_-Editorial-_-TWITTER-_-thesundaytimes-_-20170129-_-791776818&linkId=33894192

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. I wonder if Drumpf did this to his hands?

[HipChick]

2. I did notice he was unsteady coming down the steps of Airforce 1 the other day..

He looked like he was going to fall, he is also deathly afraid of windmills..

[babylonsister]

5. Windmills??

How often is he near a windmill? I guess phobias are phobias, but that struck me funny.

[boston bean]

7. I guess that means the Netherlands cannot be second!

[NurseJackie]

13. Ha!! :-D

[LeftInTX]

25. He's afraid of wind!!

The hair! The hair!

[elehhhhna]

11. Good. The Hague will trip him the fuck OUT

[jehop61]

3. Poor Kellyanne

Heard her office was on the second floor.

[Denzil_DC]

16. Yeah.

A WH insider was quoted as saying putting her office on a floor above Trump meant he was unlikely to climb the stairs to see her.

I'd assumed it was because of his laziness/lack of fitness!

You know who else couldn't climb stairs? Daleks, that's who.

All that (alleged) money, and Trump couldn't get therapy for a no doubt inconvenient phobia? Priorities.

[democratisphere]

4. Is this from the Onion OR

is this a new tactic for groping women.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. I suspect that bit has been inserted as a joke somewhere else

Last edited Sun Jan 29, 2017, 02:35 PM - Edit history (1)

The Times is behind a firewall, but the also-Murdoch-owned The Australian is running the story but with:

“Their paranoia of the media means that anything that goes slightly off-pitch will be hammered back home as him not getting a good reception from the future king of England and thousands of people protesting on the streets.”

Charles will play a central role in the state visit and is expected to raise climate change with Mr Trump. Royal sources claimed it would be a major breach of protocol for the President to attempt to sideline the heir to the throne.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/the-times/trump-and-prince-charles-in-climate-standoff/news-story/0ae1806800237b587b82473805802102

Compared to the Reddit thread claiming it as:

“Their paranoia of the media means that anything that goes slightly off-pitch will be hammered back home as him not getting a good reception from the future king of England and thousands of people protesting on the streets.”
Details of the standoff came as:
■ It emerged that Trump told May he wants a “better relationship” than that between Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.
■ Downing Street officials claimed the president’s phobia of stairs and slopes led him to grab the prime minister’s hand as they walked down a ramp at the White House.
■ May agreed a landmark arms deal with Turkey to help build 250 warplanes as she became the first western leader to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan since the coup attempt against him in July.
As heir to the throne, Charles will play a central role in the state visit and is expected to raise climate change with Trump. Royal sources claimed it would be a major breach of protocol for the president to attempt to sideline Charles during the visit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ukpolitics/comments/5qr62u/trump_and_charles_in_climate_row/

On edit: I now see it is reported in other British papers, eg http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/28/revealed-real-reason-donald-trump-theresa-may-held-hands-not/ , so it's not just a hoax about what's in The Times.

[Sunny05]

28. That ran through my mind,

to tell you the truth.

[Solly Mack]

6. And that's why I'm not in office right there.

I'm clumsy and would have no doubt accidentally tripped the fucker while coming down the stairs.

I wouldn't be able to help it. Sad.

[malaise]

41. ROFL

[uponit7771]

8. lol..did anyone else notice he tapped her hand to let his go later as if she wanted to hold his?

[Maru Kitteh]

39. I did. Two sharp taps as if to say - I'm done with you now. nt

[Croney]

9. He would only do it to/with a woman.

It's a way of putting her in her place. I can't imagine him holding hands with a male world leader.

[elehhhhna]

12. Except pootiepoot

[Retrograde]

32. Yes, women are there for him

As pointed out downthread, the Secret Service can make arrangements if he actually has difficulty negotiating stairs (I'm a bit younger than Boss Tweet, but slightly arthritic and I have problems going down stairs). FDR managed to get around -with assistance - while confined to a wheel chair and didn't make as big a fuss.

But being female, May can't be a "real" leader in Donnie's mind: she has to be reduced to a supporting role. Has he met Ms Merkel yet?

[delisen]

14. Maybe fear falling due to degenerative condition. n/t

[Ilsa]

20. He needs a physical by a REAL doctor at Bethesda or WR, I bet.

No telling what crap is really happening in his brain and body, especially with the simple, 3rd grade-level speech.

[delisen]

31. I agree. His physician is a gastroenterologist-no expertise in other specialties N/t

[treestar]

15. Then he should have a SS person

help him down, not grab her hand without her permission.

[Ms. Toad]

17. Wow. That's a different spin than earlier

I heard it described as a magnanimous gesture on his part - as not the kind of gesture we are used to hearing about Trump making toward women.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Is anyone here able to look behind the Times firewall to read the article?

Or is everyone going off the picture that was tweeted?

[smirkymonkey]

19. So who is going to hold his hand getting off AF1?

Bannon, the drunkard?

[Ilsa]

21. haaaaaa!!! That's great! Remember when Melania

Pulled her hand away from his to make him walk on his own? Maybe next time she'll trip him!

[TNNurse]

22. Well on inauguration day

he certainly walked up the White House steps and left his wife in the car.

[CountAllVotes]

29. +1

Liar isn't he? And a very poor liar at that or just plain stupid.

[politicat]

33. Up stairs are easier when neuro compromised. Down stairs are easier when cardiac compromised.

All stairs are bad when both.

Stroke patients with proprioception issues often spend either a lot of time in PT relearning stairs or just give up on them.

[Achilleaze]

23. Dodges the draft. Dodges taxes. Dodges the stairs

The Republican-Russian role model is just totally FEAR-filled.

What a loser.

Sad.

[LiberalFighter]

24. If that is true.

They need to shut down the elevators at Trump Tower when he shows up.

[CountAllVotes]

26. Afraid of stairs

Oh gee, that would have made him eligible for a deferment eh?

F/U RUMP!

[Blue_true]

27. Why in hell is that guy afraid of stairs? nt

[nadine_mn]

35. Gravity + age + poor physical health

It may not be "stairs" he is afraid of, but afraid of falling or tripping

[Eliot Rosewater]

30. NUKES, this asshole idiot has NUKES...focus please.

I know how crazy this all is, I want to know who in our party and the R party have come together like adults and discussed what they can do to get this total jackass away from things that go boom.

[Maru Kitteh]

40. You know what? Just don't. Please.

Don't tell other people what they shouldn't talk about on a discussion board and for sure don't do it with a scolding tone like "focus please" as though you are the teacher and the discussion board is your class.

Keeping Trump away from nukes is a very worthwhile discussion. If there isn't a current thread on the topic and you wish to speak about it, by all means, start one, but please don't run around the board popping into other threads telling people what they shouldn't be talking about.

People have all kinds of reasons for wanting to talk about things you might feel are trivial. If you don't want to waste your time on threads like this one there's a really simple fix for that. Just don't click on them.

[Eliot Rosewater]

42. Sorry, lost it with myself more than anyone else for a minute. My bad.

[Maru Kitteh]

44. No worries. Peace! nt

[rzemanfl]

34. Drumpf should ski! Drumpf should ski!

Cher should do a song. It would give Sonny Bono's death meaning. "They say you ain't no president, I guess that's true, your belly's a pot, when you talk your talk is always bent....You should ski, Don."

[MFM008]

36. Stairs??

[tblue37]

37. He could have balance issues. I do, and I always lean against a wall or a railing to get down stairs

--even while using my cane.

But I don't hold onto other people, because if I did, I would just take them down with me if I fell, and not only would they get hurt, but I would probably get hurt worse than if I just took the tumble on my own.

[llmart]

43. but, but, but...

didn't he tell us all about how fit he was and how much stamina he had and what a manly man he is, etc. etc. etc.???

He even had a quack doctor tell us all what wonderful shape he's in (yeah, like we can't see that fat blob's girth under a skinny tie).

As my late father would say, "What a chickenshit."

[moondust]

38. He did grab her hand.

It's not in every clip but as they walked along the portico he grabbed mommy's hand when they came to a small flight of about 2 or 3 small steps down. That's a pretty big leap for a witto monkey.