A medical emergency unfolded in the Oval Office on Thursday afternoon when a pharmaceutical executive suddenly collapsed just feet behind President Donald Trump during a high-profile announcement on slashing prices for blockbuster weight-loss drugs Zepbound and Wegovy. The incident, captured live on camera, halted the event for nearly an hour as Trump's newly appointed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, Dr Mehmet Oz, rushed to assist the man—later identified as Gordon, a guest of Eli Lilly—while White House medical staff took over.
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks was mid-sentence praising the deal—under which the drugs would drop from over $1,000 monthly to as low as $245 through expanded Medicare coverage and a new TrumpRx programme—when the guest crumpled forward after standing for more than 30 minutes in the warm room. "You OK?" Ricks called out as nearby executives and officials gently lowered the man to the carpet. Trump, seated at the Resolute Desk, immediately stood and watched intently but stayed back to allow professionals to work, while reporters were swiftly ushered out and livestreams cut.
Dr Oz, who had spoken moments earlier, knelt beside the man to check his pulse and vitals before the White House Medical Unit arrived with oxygen and a stretcher. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed the individual was "okay" and receiving care, emphasising it was a fainting episode likely caused by the prolonged standing and heat. When the event resumed without the guest, Trump reassured the room: "He got a little bit light-headed... he's fine. They just sent him out... he's got doctors' care."
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In a subsequent briefing, Ricks clarified, "Gordon was one of the Lilly guests at the White House today. He became faint, and if you've ever been in the Oval Office, you stand a long time, and it's warm. Pleased to say that the White House medical staff did a great job, and he's doing great." The episode marked the second such incident involving Oz this year—his granddaughter had fainted during his April swearing-in—yet did little to overshadow the landmark agreement with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, which Trump hailed as delivering "Most Favoured Nation" pricing to millions of Americans struggling with obesity.
Footage of the collapse spread rapidly online, sparking viral memes and commentary, but officials stressed the quick response prevented serious harm. As the man recovered off-site, the administration pressed ahead with what Trump called "the biggest drug price cut in history", underscoring a rare moment of bipartisan applause for making GLP-1 treatments accessible amid America's ongoing battle with healthcare costs.
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