When life presents you with challenges, it is often said that you should turn them into opportunities. This piece of advice, commonly attributed to Dale Carnegie, has been circulating since the 1940s. And there is perhaps no one who embodies this philosophy more than Donald Trump.
Despite his complaints about being inundated with lawsuits and his claims of being a victim of a “witch hunt,” Trump is actually capitalizing on his legal battles. He seizes every court appearance as a chance to engage with the media, although his remarks often lack novelty and coherence.
Last week, Trump made a somber declaration outside a New York courtroom, stating, “We can’t hold an election in the midst of a political season. We’ve already had Super Tuesday, and we’ve had Tuesday after Tuesday.”
After hearing that incomprehensible speech, most reporters simply shook their heads, thinking to themselves, “There he goes again, speaking incoherent nonsense. But that’s just Trump being Trump.”
After listening to Trump criticize the idea of having an election during a political season (when elections typically take place), as well as his mix-up between his primary opponent Nikki Haley and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and his repeated claims of running against Barack Obama instead of Joe Biden, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more than confusion at play. Is it possible that Trump is experiencing a mental decline?
In search of answers, I sought the expertise of Dr. John Gartner, a prominent psychologist and former professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical Center for nearly three decades. Dr. Gartner, along with 36 other psychiatrists and mental health professionals, contributed to the bestselling book, “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump,” published in 2017. As a guest on my podcast, the “Bill Press Pod,” Dr. Gartner provided valuable insights on the matter.
Dr. Gartner’s professional analysis left me astounded.
According to Gartner, there is a clear distinction between the cognitive abilities of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. He compares the two by stating that it’s like comparing “apples and rotten oranges.” Gartner emphasizes that it’s not simply a matter of two elderly individuals experiencing a decline in mental sharpness. He points out that there is a significant disparity between them, stating that Biden is aging while Trump is dementing.
As a mental health professional, I’ve been observing Trump for years, and I’ve noticed a decline in his mental acuity. When I first wrote about Trump in 2017, I highlighted intermittent examples of mental collapse. However, now I can confidently say that he is deteriorating further. He can’t even get through a whole rally without exposing himself. This is a progressive illness, so it’s only a matter of time before he reaches a point where he will be completely incapacitated, falling off the cognitive cliff.
I inquired, “Do you believe he is reaching his breaking point?” To my surprise, Gartner responded, leaving me astounded. “I firmly believe that if he is elected for another term,” Gartner stated, “he will experience cognitive decline. Given the speed at which his mental faculties are deteriorating, it is highly improbable that he can sustain four more years without experiencing a significant decline.”
Wow! According to a leading psychologist, there is a prediction that Donald Trump will experience “cognitive incapacitation” within the next four years. This claim brings to mind Nikki Haley’s suggestion of subjecting all candidates above the age of 75 to a mental competency test. It is only fair that the American people are aware of whether a candidate has a higher risk of developing cancer or facing a decline in mental health.
Bill Press, the host of “The Bill Press Pod,” has authored the compelling book “From the Left: A Life in the Crossfire.”
