President of the United States emerged from the darkened hold of his new Qatari Air Force One in Ankara, Turkey. He carefully made his way down the stairs, gripping the handrail tightly and watching each step before placing his foot. Once on the tarmac, Donald Trump grasped his hands together and broke into a huge grin as he greeted Turkish President Erdoğan. The two shared a brief private exchange before beginning the ceremonial walk toward a line of Turkish military personnel waiting for the official welcome.

As they walked along the blue carpet, Trump repeatedly drifted from side to side instead of following the path directly ahead. At one point, he grew increasingly disoriented and stopped altogether, staring into the distance. Erdoğan quickly reached beneath Trump’s arm, redirected him back toward the carpet, pointed him in the direction they were headed, and continued guiding him forward until they reached the microphone. Still looking uncertain, Trump allowed the physical guidance from Erdoğan, on live television, without any hesitation or apparent awareness of the image it projected to the rest of the world. This unusual moment captured not just how confused and feeble Trump appeared, but also the close relationship between the President of the United States of America and one of the world’s longest-serving authoritarian leaders.

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