White House Statements and Public Scrutiny
In December, from the White House, Donald Trump asserted that his administration had achieved "more positive change" over eleven months than any previous U.S. government. "There has never been anything like it," he remarked. However, his second term has indeed been distinctive in ways that may not align with presidential preferences.
The 79-year-old president has displayed inconsistent and occasionally bewildering conduct throughout 2025, raising doubts about his cognitive and physical condition. Instances include dozing off during meetings and veering into tangential discussions about topics like interior design or wildlife.
Specific Incidents and Contradictions
During a mid-July episode, Trump recounted a detailed story involving his late uncle, Professor John Trump, and Ted Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber. Trump recalled asking, "What kind of a student was he, Uncle John? Dr John Trump." He continued, "I said: 'What kind of a student?' And then he said: 'Seriously, good.' He said: 'He'd correct – he'd go around correcting everybody.' But it didn't work out too well for him." This account faces factual challenges, as John Trump died in 1985, Kaczynski was identified in 1996, and Kaczynski did not attend MIT.
Later in July, while meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump abruptly shifted from immigration to an unprompted, two-minute monologue criticizing wind energy, claiming without evidence that it drives whales "loco" and kills birds, despite minimal bird fatalities from turbines compared to other causes.
In September, addressing top military commanders in Virginia, Trump stated, "America is respected again as a country. We were not respected with Biden. They looked at him falling down stairs every day. Every day, the guy's falling down stairs." He elaborated, "I said: 'It's not our president. We can't have it.' I'm very careful, you know, when I walk downstairs for – like I'm on stairs, like these stairs, I'm very – I walk very slowly. Nobody has to set a record, just try not to fall because it doesn't work out well. A few of our presidents have fallen and it became a part of their legacy. We don't want that. Need to walk nice and easy. You not have – you don't have to set any record. Be cool, be cool when you walk down, but don't, don't bop down the stairs. That's the one thing with Obama, I had zero respect for him as a president, but he would bop down those stairs, I've never seen – da da da da da da, bop, bop, bop, he'd go down the stairs, wouldn't hold on. I said, it's great, I don't want to do it. I guess I could do it, but eventually bad things are going to happen and it only takes once, but he did a lousy job as president."
Defenses and Ongoing Concerns
The White House has consistently rebutted inquiries about Trump's mental sharpness. Earlier this year, a spokesperson told the Guardian that his "mental sharpness is second to none," while former physician Ronny Jackson, now a Republican congressman, declared him the "healthiest president this nation has ever seen."
Nevertheless, speculation persists, with reports indicating Democrats plan to highlight his fitness ahead of next year's midterm elections. Additional incidents include Trump forgetting which body part received an MRI in November, episodes of dozing during meetings, and verbal lapses, such as confusing Albania with Armenia or making unfounded comments about autism grants, saying, "Nothing bad can happen, it can only good happen."
In December, Trump made inflammatory remarks, labeling Somali immigrants as "garbage" and controversially commenting on Rob Reiner's death. These actions occur amid a reduced schedule, with official appearances down 39% and workdays often starting around noon, according to the New York Times.
White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston responded via email, calling the Guardian a "left-wing mouthpiece" and asserting, "President Trump remains in excellent overall health." She added, "President Trump's relentless work ethic, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in sharp contrast to what we saw during the past four years when the failing legacy media intentionally covered up Joe Biden's serious mental and physical decline from the American people."
Public trust in national news has declined, with a November Pew Research Center survey showing 56% of U.S. adults express trust, down from earlier in the year. A Gallup poll that month found Trump's approval at 36%, his lowest second-term rating, while YouGov indicated half of Americans consider him too old for the presidency. As Trump approaches 80 in June, questions about his condition continue unabated.
