On Thursday, Trump was giving a speech in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, when he appeared to become momentarily disoriented.
Starting Well
“We’re also going to place strong protections to stop banks and regulators from trying to de-bank you,” Trump said. He then appeared to lose track of what he was talking about.
Rambling Speech
“From your — you know, your political beliefs, what they do,” Trump continued. “They want to de-bank you, and we’re going to de-bank — think of this. They want to take away your rights. They want to take away your country. The things they’re doing, all-electric cars. Give me a break.”
Feeling Better
In the same speech, Trump said, “I think, cognitively, I’m better than I was 20 years ago. I don’t know why.”
Unsure About That
Tim O’Brien, a journalist who knew Trump two decades ago, disagreed on X, formerly Twitter. “I flew around with him in his plane and walked his golf courses with him 20 years ago,” O’Brien wrote. “Not very cognitively together then. Much less cognitively better now.”
Dubious Claims
Right before losing his train of thought, Trump bragged about “acing” a test that can detect the early signs of dementia. “They always show you the first one, like a giraffe, a tiger, a whale,” Trump said. “Which one is the whale?”
Not the First Time
Trump has repeatedly boasted about passing these dementia tests. “One should ask,” a user commented under a video of Trump’s comments, “why does Trump keep getting tested for dementia?”
Physical Concerns
In November, Trump released a vague health report that didn’t include specifics — like his weight, blood pressure, or prescriptions he was taking — but did assert that “his cognitive exams were exceptional.”
The Evidence Suggests Otherwise
“Trump is falling apart physically and cognitively,” one user commented under a video of Trump’s ramble. “He sounds like a wannabe comic at a 2AM open mic, with an audience of six passed out drunks,” another user wrote under a video of Trump claiming he was the best he’s been in decades.
Outlandish Claims
In 2015, Trump’s then-personal physician claimed that Trump would be “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” Three years later, Trump’s White House physician said that Trump could have lived to be 200 if he had followed a better diet.
Lies on Lies
While in the White House, Trump reported measuring 6 feet and 3 inches tall. However, while being booked in Manhattan in April 2023, he told officers he was 6 feet and 2 inches tall.
More Lies
When being booked in Georgia, Trump once again said he was 6’3” but also claimed to only weigh 215 pounds. Slate called this his “most outlandish lie yet,” pointing to the fact that Trump doesn’t exercise, incorrectly believing “that his body contains a finite amount of energy, like a battery.”
Unfair Comparisons
Trump has repeatedly mocked Biden for his age and occasional verbal slip-ups. He has acted out an “over-the-top caricature mocking President Biden’s age” at rallies, according to the New York Times, which includes “droopy eyelids” and “stammers and mumbles.”
Problems of His Own
In the second half of 2023, Trump claimed he’d defeated Obama in an election, got the name of a town he was speaking in wrong, and mispronounced the name of Hamas multiple times.
Mind Over Matter
Nevertheless, voters still consider Biden’s age and cognitive ability to be a more pressing issue than Trump’s. According to polls, about two-thirds of voters think Biden is too old to be president again, while just half think the same about Trump.
Major Issue
“The age issue is one that if Trump gets tarred with the same brush as Biden, it really hurts him,” a poll director told the New York Times. In one October poll of Pennsylvania voters, those who thought both were too old to be president heavily favored Biden over Trump when forced to choose.
More from AllThingsFinance: Court Finally Unseals Secretive Case of Jan 6 Offender
Samuel Lazar sentenced for Jan. 6 insurrection; previously confidential case now revealed: Court Finally Unseals Secretive Case of Jan 6 Offender
Jack Smith continues pushing Judge Cannon, reminding her that “the speedy trial clock” is ticking
Jack Smith urges Judge Aileen Cannon for a speedy trial in a classified documents case involving ex-President Trump: Jack Smith continues pushing Judge Cannon, reminding her that “the speedy trial clock” is ticking
Defamation lawsuit against Kari Lake advances while people compare her to Rudy Giuliani
Kari Lake loses First Amendment right to accuse Maricopa County recorder; Arizona Republic ponders if she’s channeling Rudy Giuliani in her sleep : Defamation lawsuit against Kari Lake advances while people compare her to Rudy Giuliani
More Democrats are flipping in a crucial swing state than Republicans
In Pennsylvania, a significant number of registered Democrats flipping is sending an unflattering signal to President Biden: More Democrats are flipping in a crucial swing state than Republicans
