Reflections on Donald Trump’s Recent Public Appearances
As Donald Trump calls on his supporters to cast their votes in January, there are growing concerns about his clarity and coherence. His speeches are marked by confusing references to places and people, fumbling for words, and an evident simplification of his language. Moreover, he often recounts experiences that appear fabricated and displays an increasingly vulgar, menacing, and unfiltered demeanor in public. This raises critical questions about his fitness for office, especially in light of his age.
When President Biden, at 78, exhibited signs of age-related decline during the June presidential debate, I was quick to suggest he should consider stepping back from the race. Now, I find myself in a similar quandary regarding Trump, who is also 78. While I hesitated to pen this column due to the historical misuse of medical rhetoric to undermine candidates—an approach notably seen during Barry Goldwater’s presidential campaign in 1964—I believe it is essential to evaluate Trump’s aging and capability to fulfill the demands of the presidency, just as we did with Biden.
There is no denying that Trump’s behavior has become increasingly erratic compared to his past. As he ages, many individuals experience declining physical or mental faculties in the years that follow. Perhaps we should take a lesson from the summer’s discussions regarding Biden: as corporations often replace CEOs before their performance wanes, we should be cautious about electing elderly presidents from either political party.
While we must recognize the pitfalls of armchair analysis, it is worth noting that Trump still displays considerable physical energy and has built a defense against claims of cognitive decline. For years, his outrageous behavior has often been met with applause, and some argue that his antics are not necessarily tied to aging. Mark Esper, Trump’s former defense secretary, who has labeled him a “threat to democracy,” acknowledges that while Trump appears older, he does not perceive any significant change beyond that.
Conversely, others observe marked differences. Mary Trump, the former president’s niece and a clinical psychologist, candidly stated, “It’s hard to see how anybody thinks my uncle is still tethered to reality.”
Everyone experiences occasional slip-ups or forgets where they placed their car keys. For presidential candidates who are constantly under the scrutinizing gaze of cameras, such errors are not uncommon — and critics may not always be fair in their assessments. For instance, in February, reports circulated that Trump had mistakenly referred to his wife, Melania, as “Mercedes.” Biden even took the opportunity to mock him for this gaffe. However, the fact-checking organization PolitiFact clarified that Trump did not misstate anything; he was actually referring to Mercedes Schlapp, his former aide sitting in the front row at the event.
