Former President Donald Trump is now facing the same level of scrutiny that President Joe Biden encountered after his disastrous debate performance in June, which ultimately led to a loss of confidence in his own party and his withdrawal from the race. According to The New York Times’s Peter Baker, Trump, at 78 years old, may show “more energy and speaks with more volume” than Biden, who is 81, but has also “mixed up names, confused facts and stumbled over his points.”
“Mr. Trump’s rambling speeches, sometimes incoherent statements, and extreme outbursts have raised questions about his own cognitive health and, according to polls, stimulated doubts among a majority of voters,” Baker wrote.
Trump’s recent behavior has raised red flags for many observers. He has repeatedly made unprompted references to the fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter when discussing migrants, rambled about being eaten by a shark and whether boat batteries could electrocute people, and offered a convoluted explanation of his childcare policy that critics described as barely coherent.
In another concerning moment, Trump confused former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, the latter being his primary opponent who is now endorsing his campaign.
Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s former press secretary who turned against him following the January 6th attacks, expressed concerns about his cognitive state in comments to The New York Times. While she noted that the debate format may prevent Trump from appearing too exhausted, she added, “His ramblings are certainly getting worse.”
“I don’t know if it’s his age or some kind of mental decline. I think the media, general public, and certainly his supporters have grown desensitized to a man who lies and rambles all the time, and that’s unfortunate,” Grisham said.
Despite concerns, Trump’s campaign is attempting to shift focus to the possibility that Vice President Kamala Harris could outshine Trump in the debates. However, this tactic mirrors their preemptive excuses before the Biden debate, where Trump repeatedly, and without evidence, suggested that Biden would use performance-enhancing drugs to maintain his energy levels.
As Trump faces increasing scrutiny, questions about his cognitive health have now become a key issue for voters in the lead-up to the election, raising concerns about his ability to perform at the highest levels of government.