Former President Donald Trump, 78, indicated at a Wisconsin campaign rally Saturday that "people in their 80s" are too frail to competently sign documents.
He threw out the comment as he railed about the elderly being called on to apparently sign voting attestations or witness statements in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's investigation into election interference in Georgia.
Trump would be 80 years old in the middle of his term if he wins the White House in November, and would likely be signing lots of very important documents.
"You had people in their 80s: 'Would you sign here?'" he mockingly told the rally crowd, apparently posing as Willis or her investigators leaning on the feeble elderly.
He then veered into what Trump has described as his rambling, garbled "weave" way of talking, suddenly referring to Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Hillary Clinton as (perhaps) refusing to accept the results of a presidential election.
In fact, all three accepted election results, even Clinton, who won the popular vote but lost the electoral tally in her race against Trump in 2016.
Then Trump added: "All these senators, like Shifty Schiff," referring to California Democrat Sen. Adam Schiff.
Trump on indictments: You know Thomas Jefferson, did the same kind of things. Alexander Hamilton, lots of people all throughout the ages. Hillary Clinton wouldn't acknowledge the election. All of these senators like Shifty Schiff. pic.twitter.com/SKW9qsXiuW
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 7, 2024
Underscoring his own issues with aging, Trump made another notable gaffe during his speech in Mosinee, calling Elon Musk "Leon."
Referring to problems with Boeing's Starliner space capsule, Trump told the crowd: "Leon's going to send up a rocket. He looks forward to it; that's all he thinks about is things like that."
Elon Musk's SpaceX is scheduled to send up a spacecraft in February to collect the two American astronauts left behind at the International Space Station when Boeing's Starliner was brought back to Earth just after midnight Saturday.
Trump says “Leon” Musk is going to have to send a rocket pic.twitter.com/Z4t8PsyJjt
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 7, 2024
After that glitch, Trump got hung up on the word "eliminate" as he was about to boast that he's going to do away with the federal Department of Education to turn education in the the state over to controversial Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, who has insisted 2021 Capitol rioters were "peaceful."
"You know what we're doing here," Trump interjected to buy himself some time before he could successfully pronounce "eliminate" on the second try.
Trump: "I'm dying to get back to do this: We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education and send education back to Wisconsin and back to the states. We'll send it back to the states so that Ron Johnson can run it." pic.twitter.com/5sN1vzzamG
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 7, 2024
Critics on social media did not find it funny.
Trump's gaffe calling Elon Musk “Leon” Musk isn’t just a simple slip-up—it’s a glaring sign of his worsening cognitive decline. These frequent errors aren't minor; they highlight a serious, irreversible issue. His mental decline makes him unfit to serve as president. https://t.co/9UaeehMyOY
— Christopher, Esq. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@ChrisAlbertoLaw) September 7, 2024
