Khaberni - The public behavior of U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked a wave of controversy in political and media circles, following a series of positions, statements, and public appearances, prompting high-profile figures to express their views on his mental and psychological performance, as he approaches his eightieth year.
According to an article by writer Tom Leonard, published in the "Daily Mail," looking back at the last official meeting he held at the White House with senior officials from the oil and gas sector, Trump drew attention when he suddenly interrupted the meeting and headed towards the windows overlooking the White House garden.
Trump paused to look at construction works for a new banquet hall, before enthusiastically commenting on the scene, prompting attendees to stand and join him in looking, in a moment described as odd and out of place for the formal meeting setting. TOM LEONARD: Is Donald Trump showing the first signs of losing his marbles? | Daily Mail Online
During the article, Leonard quoted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico as saying, after meeting Trump at the Mar-a-Lago resort, that he expressed concern in European diplomatic circles about the president's mental state, describing the meeting as disturbing and leaving him in a state of psychological shock.
According to those accounts, Fico considered Trump's behavior potentially dangerous in the context of managing sensitive international affairs, although the White House swiftly denied these descriptions outright, branding them as fake news attributed to anonymous sources.
Trump is demented
Similarly, American psychologist Dr. John Gartner stated that Trump's overt behavior shows a significant increase in what he described as "alarming clinical indicators," noting symptoms such as loss of coherent speech, excessive verbosity, digressing from the topic, and confusing names and places, with Gartner clarifying that these traits are typically observed in cases of cognitive decline, without providing an official medical diagnosis.
Video: Trump describes excruciating moment that caused bruise | Daily Mail Online
For her part, Mary Trump, the president's niece, said that her uncle's current behavior reminds her of the symptoms that Fred Trump, her father, suffered from, who was diagnosed with dementia in his later years, confirming that she notices similarities in memory, emotional response, and thinking, considering that these changes cannot be ignored, according to her statement.
Ty Cobb, the former White House lawyer during Trump’s first term, stated that there's a noticeable decline in his mental capacities compared to previous years, adding that some of his recent statements, especially those concerning international allies and sensitive geopolitical issues, "do not come from a person who is balanced or qualified to bear the responsibilities of the presidency," according to his statement.
In turn, former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger questioned whether the world is witnessing a live mental health crisis, urging seriousness in addressing what he described as the deterioration of the president's public performance, and not justifying it within the framework of political disagreements.
Increased appearances on platforms
Meanwhile, Karl Rove, former senior advisor to previous U.S. President George W. Bush, noted that Americans are increasingly worried about Trump's public appearances and his frequent posts on social media, especially those that are published late at night, considering this behavior unprecedented in American presidential history.
This was not the first such instance for Trump in this context, as it was preceded by a series of positions that sparked criticism both within the United States and abroad, especially after statements Trump made at the Davos economic forum, during which he confused the names of countries, exaggerated figures about his achievements, along with positions that annoyed Washington's allies in Europe, particularly regarding NATO.
On the other hand, those close to Trump affirm that he is still mentally present and able to focus, and that what he shows in public does not necessarily reflect his actual state behind the scenes. As Trump approaches his eightieth birthday, some compare his current image with the one he painted for himself in the past, when he consistently attacked his political opponents over their ages or mental capabilities, especially his ongoing attacks on former President Joe Biden.
