“He’ll begin a sentence, and then seemingly forget how the sentence began and invent something in the middle, and then go off on a tangent that results in an incomprehensible word salad. This is behavior we observe frequently in patients who have dementia. There is clear evidence of memory impairment, rigidity, confabulation and cognitive slippage His memory is so profoundly impaired, and he is so fixated on seeking revenge against Obama and Nancy Pelosi, that he thinks he is running against them now. What makes this case especially unique is that he is so profoundly enabled in his demented state by his followers who are so invested in his greatness and so blind to his cognitive decline” ---Suzanne Lachmann, Psy.D.
"Phonemic paraphasia is an obvious sign of dementia.” —Ginn Dudek, R.N. "As an RN for the last 29 years, and with lots of mental health experience, I see this clinical evidence very clearly. These are not slips of the tongue. They are objective evidence of the dementia diagnosis.” -- Marsha Newman, R.N.
“This is not just ‘rambling.’ Trump evidences a type of cognitive impairment seen in dementia. Symptoms like ‘word salad’ (incoherence), ‘loose associations’ (a lack of connection between ideas), impairments of memory, and language problems (mis-pronouncing words or making up words that don't exist).” --Dr. Michael Bader, psychologist
“The news media is ignoring this as a medical issue, mistakenly declaring it political just because of the electoral context. There are an estimated 5 million people over 65 years old with dementia in the United States, who in turn affect millions of family members and other caretakers. They are familiar with the obvious signs that run the gamut of dementia that Trump flaunts, particularly impairment of language and memory, verbal aggression towards others, socially inappropriate behavior, suspiciousness, delusions, persecutory ideation, and others. All of these are well-documented deterioration from his baseline, evidenced by his decades of scripted and unscripted appearances on television. The concomitant derangement of understanding and judgment these bring make one manifestly unfit for any political office or position of responsibility. ---J. Todd Weber, MD
"When you see an individual reading from a teleprompter getting lost, slurring, mispronouncing words they say all the time, these are clear signs of cognitive decline. —Elizabeth Reyes-Fournier, Ph.D.
"Trump is obviously showing signs of cognitive impairment." —Anne O’Donnell, LPC "President Trump continuously and consistently shows his inability to remember, comprehend and verbally articulate what he is reading from a teleprompter. “ -- Ikia K Young, LPC
A Joint statement submitted by a working group of psychologists who have trained and conducted neuropsychological research at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (Names withheld upon request) "We believe it is advisable that presidential candidates above the age of 75 submit to a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation before running for office. This policy ensures that individuals seeking this profoundly impactful position possess the cognitive and emotional capacities necessary to navigate the rigors of leadership, make sound decisions under pressure, and effectively manage the nation's affairs. While normal aging in older adults is accompanied by certain cognitive changes, like a slowing down in processing speed, it is important to point out that these changes do not necessarily signify dementia. In fact, many aspects of cognitive function, such as vocabulary, accumulated knowledge, and wisdom, often remain stable or even improve with age. Healthy older adults in their 70s and 80s can continue to learn new skills and adapt to new situations, regardless of their age. Our observations of the current president's speech and behavior suggest his presentation fits within the parameters of normal aging We do see several worrisome signs in the GOP candidate's cognitive presentation that are consistent with what appears to be an advancing disease process that is outside the bounds of normal aging. For the 78-year-old presidential candidate, the manifestation of phonic paraphasias, semantic aphasias, confusion, "word salads" and tangentiality raise the suspicion of an underlying neurological condition consistent with a dementia process. These symptoms, emerging in the context of substantial psychological stress from ongoing legal and financial scrutiny and obligations, along with a decrease in adoration and public influence (notably, on an international level), contribute to a complex diagnostic picture. This clinical picture is set against a backdrop of publicly displayed traits and behaviors suggestive of malignant narcissism and antisocial personality disorder, alongside increasingly paranoid and antisocial statements, and isolation. The intricate interplay of these cognitive issues and complicating psychosocial factors can be expected to underlie ongoing deterioration of the GOP candidate's cognitive and emotional well-being, based on our experience and understanding of the scientific literature. The gravity of entrusting national leadership to someone potentially facing advanced cognitive and personality challenges must be done with the utmost of care. Individuals with dementia struggle with deficits in executive functioning (which includes problem solving and planning) and a deterioration in judgment, which would impact their ability to assess rapidly unfolding situations and understand consequences of their decisions and actions. If elected, these cognitive impairments could significantly compromise the GOP candidate's ability to choose competent cabinet members, who are crucial for ensuring balance and restraint in governance. And when combined with the marked decompensation of core personality structures that are on display in the public arena, we believe it is reasonable to state that these cognitive factors could potentially have a catastrophic impact on the nation and the world. For these reasons, we strongly recommend a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation of both candidates, which would confirm or correct our impressions."
“Every high-ranking military officer except the Commander-in-Chief is required to submit to a yearly fitness-for-duty medical exam. Biden would be smart to have full medical evaluation by a panel of experts and challenge Mr. Trump to do the same. President Biden recently demonstrated his fitness in his SOTU address, whereas Trump increasingly evidences serious symptoms of cognitive decline that cry out for a full neuropsychiatric work-up.” --Judith Herman, M.D.
“Recent shocking video displayed what appears to be signs of a serious advancing dementia which have worsened in recent months. That will inflame his underlying psychological vulnerability to rogue rage, extreme recklessness, and impulsive and violent action. “ --Michael Tansey, Ph.D., psychologist
“President Biden’s focused, quick-witted, fact-based State of the Union address showed that while aging inevitably brings some cognitive decline such as more difficulty in word-finding, mixing up names, mild decreases in attention span, it does not impact his ability to assess, reason and function even in high-pressure situations. While in office, his predecessor routinely showed impulsivity, problems with language, and extreme difficulties in focusing and reasoning. But there has been a marked deterioration in his cognitive abilities since he lost the election in 2020. In increasingly fraught times ,it is imperative not to allow him to hold a position of power. --Sherry Amatenstein, LCSW
“I signed the petition because I saw multiple episodes where Trump energetically either gets lost in the middle of a phrase, ending with something like hmmm, or continues a line of thought totally out of touch with reality, like confusing Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi, that itself showed no grasp of the clear reality of the situation.” --Michael Smith M.D., MPH
"If this guy presented in my office with the symptoms we observe in his public appearances, I'd refer him at once to a neurologist for a full workup. Personally, I wouldn't write him an OK-to-return-to-work note, much less declare him fit to occupy the country's highest office." --John Biggs, LCSW