Trump denies 'freeze-up' at NRA rally

Former President Donald Trump is pushing back vigorously after media outlets reported an alarming incident at an NRA rally in Dallas, where he appeared to experience a significant lapse in speech, momentarily forgetting what to say.

The reports of the so-called “freeze-up” have ignited a storm of controversy and prompted Trump to issue a forceful denial on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“My speech in Dallas this weekend at the NRA’s ‘Endorsement of President Donald J. Trump,’ was attended by a record crowd of very enthusiastic patriots,” Trump wrote. He accused the Biden campaign of fabricating the story to distract from President Joe Biden’s frequent gaffes. “The Biden Campaign, however, put out a fake story that I ‘froze’ for 30 seconds, going into the ‘musical interlude’ section, when in actuality, the 30 to 60 second period of silence is standard in every one of my speeches where we use the music. Check out any of my speeches!”

Trump insisted that the reports were part of a broader strategy to undermine him, asserting that “Donald Trump doesn’t freeze! It is a MADE UP Biden Campaign story, put out in a dying newspaper that I never heard of, and every reporter knows it, including the large group that was there….”

Critics, however, point to a pattern of similar incidents that suggest cognitive decline. Trump has previously been observed trailing off incoherently, confusing political figures, and mistakenly referring to his 2024 opponent as Barack Obama instead of Joe Biden.