Donald Trump’s cognitive decline is getting worse
With Election Day just around the corner, the World Mental Health Coalition (WMHC) this weekend issued a dire warning, urging voters to acknowledge (if they haven’t already done so) that there is something alarmingly wrong with Donald Trump. The coalition, composed of 50 renowned professionals with expertise in mental health and aging, outlined their concerns in a statement titled “Statement on Cognitive Concerns in the Presidential Election.”
While they admit it is not possible to formally diagnose an individual without direct access, the signers have identified “repeated public behaviors and speeches” that align with early signs of “significant” cognitive decline and early dementia. There are nine manifestations, including language deterioration, impaired memory marked by confabulation (where memory gaps are filled up with falsehoods), tangential thinking, and disinhibited behavior (such as impulsivity and aggression), among others. You don’t need a psychology degree to understand how such deficits could affect a person’s leadership and decision-making abilities and pose risks to national security and democratic governance while President of the United States.
Vice President Kamala Harris’s name does not appear anywhere in the statement, as it is not a direct endorsement. However, because Harris is the only viable candidate to defeat Trump, a vote for Harris-Walz would effectively eliminate the risk of a second Trump term and the potential threats outlined in the WMHC’s warning.
The WMHC statement is extraordinary because, normally, a major party’s presidential candidate may have abhorrent political views but not multiple red flags indicating a dangerous, ongoing mental health decline. This Election Day, the stakes are higher than usual—and higher than they ever should be. Regardless of politics, voters should heed the WMHC’s urgent warning and vote for continued sanity and steady leadership on Tuesday.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month