Topics: Donald Trump, News, Ozempic, Politics, US News
It's widely agreed that the topic of a person's weight should remain strictly off the cards with it comes to friendships - whether that be in the form of a brutal dig or a genuine compliment.
Apparently, however, when it comes to US President Donald Trump, it would seem the rulebook regarding common social pleasantries has been thrown out of the window following a rant about his 'overweight' friend.
Whilst the Republican can hardly boast a particularly narrow physique himself (no shade, Don), he took the opportunity this week to call out one of his businessmen buddies for his lack of focus on his figure.
The controversial comment was made during an appearance earlier this week during a White House speech surrounding Trump's new plan to impose price controls on prescribed medication.
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Naturally, the conversation turned to type 2 diabetes medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy (the brand name for Ozempic), which have become popular as a means of achieving weight loss - especially in high-profile circuits.
According to Trump, a friend recently obtained such a drug during a recent visit to the UK, and paid considerably less than he would in the States.
(It's important to note, however, that these medications are not available for free on the NHS for weight loss purposes, and are only prescribed to treat the side effects of diabetes. They are, however, available privately if paid for.)
"Well, I'll tell you a story," he began his shocking anecdote, using it to argue that pharmaceutical manufacturers should charge Americans the same price they do lowest-paying developed countries that have single-payer health systems.
"A friend of mine whose a businessman - very, very, very top guy - most of you would have heard of him, highly neurotic, brilliant businessman, seriously overweight, and he takes the fat shot drug.
"And he called me up and he said, 'President' - he calls me, he used to call me Donald, now he calls me President, so, that's nice respect, but he's a tough guy, smart guy, very successful, very rich - 'President, could I ask a question'.
"'What?'," Trump claims he replied, again mimicking his buddy's phone call. "'I'm in London and I just paid for this damn fat drug I take.'
"I said, 'It's not working'," the politician savagely admitted. "He said, 'I just paid $88, and in New York I pay $1,300, what the hell is going on?'."
Despite the seriousness of Trump's financial argument, the father-of-five has become somewhat of a walking meme for the way he described his supposed pal's weight loss journey.
After footage of the speech was shared on Instagram, one amused viewer joked: "May a friendship like this never find me."
Another jibed: "Trump would be an amazing Drag Queen...the hand gestures, the silly nicknames, the insults."
"Donald sharing about the conversation he had with himself," a third poked fun at the President.
Another wrote: "I wish he wasn’t evil because this a banger."
"You couldn’t make this shit up even if you tried," added a fifth.
