President Donald Trump was under visible strain during a high-stakes Oval Office exchange that should have called for focus and command, but instead unraveled into a moment that left viewers questioning whether he could keep pace with the pressure of the job.

Pressed on the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies — a deadline that could drive insurance costs sharply higher for millions of Americans — Trump appeared to lose his footing, turning a routine policy question into a tense stumble that quickly overshadowed the substance of the issue.

“At the end of this year, those extended Obamacare subsidies expire,” said a reporter Friday in the Oval office. “What’s your message to those 24 million Americans who will see their insurance premiums go up— ”

‘This Is So Embarrassing’: Trump Goes After the Woman Who Calls Him ‘Obsessed’ — Until One Off-Script Moment Makes It Clear What He’s Really After

Rather than outlining a policy response, Trump quickly snapped. “Well, don’t make it sound so bad,” he began. But his interruption took a pause when he searched and stumbled trying to deploy an insult that has long been used against his own zealous supporters.

But Trump couldn’t land it, mangling both pronunciation and the meaning.

“Because obviously, you’re a …. you’re a syncophant for Democrats. You’re obviously a provider of bad news for Republicans.”

Online, viewers immediately picked up on the fumble.

“A ‘syncophant’?! A “provider of bad news for Republicans”? He just reports the bad news, Donald. You actually create the bad news. May this destructive, radical, reckless GOP show reap what it sows.” one commenter wrote.

“And this tells me someone used the word ‘sycophant’ in front of him today,” another added.