Off The Record
Dramatic Scene Unfolds During Dr. Oz’s Swearing-In — Caught on Video
A White House ceremony was disrupted by a medical scare concerning a member of Dr. Mehmet Oz’s family, which diverted focus from the event and forced reporters and attendance to leave right away.
President Donald Trump’s speech were unexpectedly interrupted on Friday, April 18, as Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was sworn in. It was claimed that his 11-year-old granddaughter, Philomena, fainted during the event.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. officiated the event, which took place in the Oval Office. Dr. Oz was accompanied by his wife, Lisa, and kids, Oliver, Daphne, Arabella, and Zoe. On the opposite side of the Resolute Desk were several grandchildren as well.
The incident happened when President Trump was making remarks about Oz’s nomination. Trump brought up the subject of nuclear weapons throughout his speech, telling the audience that they would be in “great danger” if Iran acquired a nuclear weapon.
At this point, there was a disturbance in the room. The camera captures the journalists’ reactions as the crisis unfolded. “Philo fainted, Philo fainted,” is what one of Oz’s daughters is heard saying. “Go, Dad!” Before heading back to Trump’s side, Oz went to see how his granddaughter was doing.
White House aides quickly intervened and began ushering people out. “Everybody out!” one aide yelled. Another added, “Get out right now.” A third voice was heard instructing, “No photos.”
The footage showed Daphne and Oliver assisting Philomena out of the room, but it did not show her collapsing. As they left, Philomena looked sick. The video then ends.
In a statement issued after the incident, a White House spokesperson confirmed, “We are happy to say she is okay.” Daphne Oz and her husband, John Jovanovic, are parents to four children: Philomena, Domenica, Giovanna, and a son. Philomena is the eldest.
Daphne’s work as a television host, nutritionist, and judge on “MasterChef Junior” since Season 8 has made her well-known. Online users swiftly responded to the incident by critiquing Trump’s conduct and seeming indifference amid the medical emergency.
One Instagram user wrote, “All was all about trump , he didn’t care about the grand daughter. [sic]” Another added, “His face says how dare she take the attention from me! [sic]” A separate comment read, “He didn’t even ask what happened. SMH.”
Another commenter stated, “He’s probably mad the attention was turned away from him,” while another asked, “Why didn’t the grandfather doctor man help his little granddaughter. [sic]” Another user remarked, “They were more concerned about the press leaving than the child.”
The conversation about Dr. Oz’s reaction extended to Facebook, where one user commented, “Doesn’t look like he did anything but look.”
Another said, “He didn’t assess her [sic] he didn’t jump into action? 😂 he went back on that podium as fast as he went down it ..” A third person added, “I hope she’s ok!! I don’t care for any of the politicians around her!! But I have empathy for her!”
The swearing-in took place just hours after Trump made comments that sparked criticism on a different topic. The U.S. president responded from the White House in a sad manner after a tragic shooting occurred on a university campus in Tallahassee, Florida.
President Trump responded to the shooting at Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday, April 17, 2025, with a brief statement from the Oval Office on Friday.
“It’s a horrible thing. Horrible that things like this take place,” Trump said. He added that he had been “fully briefed” on the situation and described the tragedy as “a shame.”
When asked by reporters whether the shooting would lead him to consider tighter gun regulations, Trump reiterated his longstanding position on the Second Amendment. “These things are terrible. But the gun doesn’t do the shooting, the people do, phrases used probably too often,” he said.
Trump added, “As far as legislation is concerned, this has been going on for a long time.” “I have an obligation to protect the Second Amendment. I ran on the Second Amendment, among many other things, and I will always protect the Second Amendment.”
The fact that he knew “the very area well” and was knowledgeable about the institution and the state of Florida was another of his remarks indicating that he was familiar with the place.
Trump’s remarks prompted a flood of responses online. One netizen commented, “Such deep and wise words from our profound leader.” Others were more critical. “I’m surprised they were able to pin him down for a comment between rounds of golf 🙄,” one wrote.
Another user stated, “He doesn’t know the words he never had sympathy for anyone or empathy for anyone. He only has sympathy and empathy for himself.” One post read, “The recent shooting is truly heartbreaking, and it’s important that we don’t overlook its impact. My thoughts and deepest condolences go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.”
More reactions followed. A separate commenter argued, “His lack and compassion is deafening,” while another urged, “Trump try using your big boy words.” One sarcastically added, “So articulate.”
Another asked bluntly, “1st grader talk?” while one noted, “This is the first time he has acknowledged a school shooting this year. I wonder what we don’t know yet.”
The president’s statement and online users’ responses followed the devastating incident that stunned the FSU community. The Miami Herald reports that the shooting resulted in six injuries and two fatalities.
Phoenix Ikner, 20, the suspect, is a student at FSU and the son of a Leon County Sheriff’s deputy. He used a weapon that had previously belonged to his mother, who had lawfully bought it for herself. Responding officers took Ikner into custody after he was shot.
The assault happened close to the university’s student union at around midday. The two deceased individuals were not enrolled at FSU, according to later police confirmation. The hospital received the six other injured people. There is still no known motive.
According to Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil, the department knew the suspect personally, but investigators are still trying to put together what caused the attack. Ikner had taken part in numerous of the sheriff’s training programs and was active in the Youth Advisory Council.
“He has been steep in the Leon County Sheriff’s family, engaged in a number of training programs that we have … so it’s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons,” McNeil said during a press briefing.
Campus terror after the shooting led to a complete lockdown. Paula Maldonado, a sophomore, experienced the chaos firsthand and shared her account with ABC News. She claimed that her class promptly shut off the lights and barricaded the door with desks as soon as the active threat alert went off.
At the front of the room, her students huddled close to one another, whispering directions and quietly consoling one another. While some students started crying, others offered safety advice. One student suggested that she shield herself by holding her rucksack in front of her body.
“A cop came inside and I thought it was the shooter, so it was very scary,” Maldonado recalled. After a few tense minutes, officers returned and instructed the students to exit the classroom with their hands raised.
Addressing the college community following the incident, FSU President Richard McCullough described it as a “tragic and senseless act of violence at the heart of our campus.” He stated that helping victims, their families, and the larger community was the university’s top priority right now.
“It means students, faculty, and staff who were nearby and are now trying to make sense of what they experienced. And it means every person in our campus community who is feeling shaken or overwhelmed,” McCullough said.
ABC News reported that FSU Alerts informed the victims’ families. Additionally, the institution announced that students who lost their possessions during the lockdown will have the opportunity to retrieve them.
Following the university’s update, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the tragedy in a video posted on X. He and his wife, Casey, offered condolences and support. “We’re mourning the two individuals who lost their lives in this tragic attack, and we wish well those who are currently recovering in the hospital,” he added.
DeSantis emphasized accountability, “This killer must and will be brought to justice to the fullest extent of the law.” He also praised the quick response from law enforcement officers, “They ran towards the danger, they stopped this killer from inflicting more harm, and there is no question that they saved lives.”
Another school massacre, this time in Tennessee, has left yet another family in mourning as communities struggle with campus violence.
The Metro Nashville Police Department has identified the 16-year-old girl who died on January 22, 2025, at Antioch High School.
We have identified Josselin Corea Escalante as the victim who suffered fatal injuries at the school cafeteria. She and two other pupils were shot. A male student, one of the two, received treatment at Vanderbilt University Medical Center following a graze to his arm.
Escalante’s dad, German Corea, is devastated by the loss of his daughter. “Every day I told her how much I loved her,” he said. Escalante was an older sister but still a daddy’s girl in his father’s eyes. Corea said his daughter played soccer and scored excellent grades. He noted that he never thought his loving and kind daughter would not make it home one day. “It’s not fair,” he mourned.
Maria Corea, Escalante’s aunt, is dumbfounded by her loss; she notes that she was sent to school to get an education and a better future, but her life has ended tragically. “Oh God. She was my girl. She was a very calm girl and well-behaved. She had good grades in school. She was a girl who loved her parents and all her family,” she shared.
Escalante’s family has asked the school to make security improvements. Given that every school massacre has a similar backstory, they are not optimistic that anything will change. On the evening of January 22, Antioch High School held a vigil in Escalante’s honor.
The shooter, who was 17 years old, was enrolled in Antioch High School. He killed himself by shooting himself in the head. The police have identified him as Solomon Henderson. When Henderson began shooting, the two school resource officers assigned to Antioch High School were in a separate area of the structure.
They hurried to the cafeteria as soon as they heard the shots, arriving shortly after Henderson had committed suicide. Authorities are currently looking into social media posts and web articles connected to Henderson.
They are also working with local, federal, and state agencies to determine the motive behind the gunfire in the school’s cafeteria. As investigations on the incident continue, so far the police have found no connection between the shooter and victims of the tragic incident. “It may be that they were struck by his random gunfire in the cafeteria,” the Metro Nashville Police Department said.
Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police Department has also spoken out: “On behalf of this entire police department, I extend our deep condolences to Antioch High students, parents, and staff. Our officers and counselors will work to be part of the healing process in the days and weeks ahead.”
The entire Antioch High School community, along with the students and parents, have expressed their condolences to Dr. Adrienne Battle, the director of Metro Nashville Public Schools. In order to give staff and students time to grieve, Battle said that the school would be closed for the remainder of the week.
She wrote in a statement, “I want to thank the school staff who quickly and heroically followed emergency protocols, potentially preventing further harm, as well as the Metro Nashville Police Department and Nashville Fire Department for their swift and urgent response.”
Battle vowed to dedicate herself to understanding the causes of this tragedy in order to prevent it from happening again.
She added, “It’s important to remember that our schools have historically been safe places for learning, friendship, and growth. We cannot allow this tragedy to overshadow the positive experiences of our 80,000 students.”
Battle said that the staff and students will receive all the assistance they require to cope with this tragedy, including bereavement support. To face the days and weeks ahead together, she called on the Nashville community, faculty, staff, and counselors to unite.
Now Trending:
- Donald Trump Announces New Tariffs That Could Start A Big Global Trade War
- Trump’s Tariff Plan Could Trigger Price Hikes—Here Are 10 Products To Buy Before It’s Too Late
- Trillions Lost Overnight: Americans Wake Up To Financial Nightmare
Please SHARE this story with Family and Friends and let us know what you think in comments!
