Man Faints Behind President Trump During White House Drug Pricing Announcement Event

During a White House Oval Office event focused on reducing weight-loss drug prices, President Donald Trump experienced an unexpected interruption when an attendee collapsed behind him.

The man who fainted was later identified as a guest of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, who had been invited to the announcement ceremony regarding price cuts for popular weight-loss medications.

The incident occurred while Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks was addressing the gathering. The guest, positioned with other healthcare executives and Trump administration officials behind the Resolute Desk, suddenly crumpled to the floor after standing for approximately 30 minutes during various speeches.

President Trump, who was seated at his desk at the time, immediately stood up while others rushed to assist the fallen man. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump's administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, examined the individual and confirmed he was alright.

Following the incident, the press was escorted from the room, and the event was suspended for about an hour. When proceedings resumed, Trump addressed the situation, stating, "He got a little bit light-headed... You saw he went down. And he's fine. They just sent him out... He's got doctors' care. But he's fine."

During the subsequent press briefing, CEO David Ricks provided additional details: "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. So, nothing to be concerned about. Thanks for your concern."

The primary purpose of the gathering was for Trump to announce significant agreements with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to reduce prices of their popular weight-loss drugs in exchange for protection from potential tariffs.

"Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are committing to offer Zepbound and Wegovy at 'Most Favoured Nation' rates for American patients," Trump declared, explaining this would substantially lower costs for eligible individuals.

These new-generation appetite-suppressing medications using GLP-1 agonists—including brands like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro—have gained tremendous popularity for their weight-loss effectiveness but have raised concerns due to their prohibitive costs, which can exceed $1,000 monthly in the United States.