Donald Trump is reportedly concerned about the potential of experiencing the same cognitive decline that his father faced, as per analysis presented on MSNBC’s The Weekend: Primetime.
Timothy L. O’Brien, the senior executive editor at Bloomberg Opinion, commented on Trump’s recent remarks regarding his desire for a third presidential term—an aspiration that is prohibited by the Constitution. O’Brien indicated that Trump is motivated by either “self-aggrandizement” or “self-preservation,” and while he may dream of prolonged authority, O’Brien expresses skepticism about Trump actively seeking a third term.
“He’d love to live until he’s 300,” O’Brien humorously remarked, “and be president for 200 of those years.” However, at the age of 78, Trump is not exempt from the effects of aging. “What struck me was how much he’s aged. His speech is more slurred, his posture more slouched, and his energy diminished,” O’Brien observed, pointing out that Trump will turn 79 in June.
A significant concern, as noted by O’Brien, is Trump’s apprehension regarding mental deterioration. His father, Fred Trump, was diagnosed with dementia in 1991 and passed away in 1999 after a struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Trump has seldom publicly addressed this issue, likely due to the associated political risks, particularly following his mockery of President Biden’s mental acuity.
Individuals close to Trump have reportedly observed changes in him. O’Brien remarked, “I question how much genuine enthusiasm he has left for the job, beyond the fact that it keeps him out of prison and in the spotlight.”
Trump’s nephew, Fred C. Trump III, reiterated these worries in People, stating that he recognizes familiar signs of decline. “Anyone asserting that dementia is absent from the Trump family is disregarding the reality,” he stated.