Donald Trump’s biographer Tim O’Brien has stirred up concerns over the former president’s cognitive capabilities, suggesting they are deteriorating with age. O’Brien, who wrote “TrumpNation” and has known Trump for decades, recently weighed in on the matter following Trump’s assertions about his cognitive health.
Responding to Trump’s claims at a New Hampshire campaign event that his cognitive health is “better than it was 20 years ago,” O’Brien took to social media, casting doubts on the veracity of Trump’s statement. “I flew around with him in his plane and walked his golf courses with him 20 years ago… Not very cognitively together then,” O’Brien stated. “Much less cognitively better now.”
This commentary follows Trump’s declaration that he feels “about 35 years old,” a claim that contradicts the concerns raised about the cognitive health of both Trump, 77, and President Joe Biden, 81. This topic has been a focal point of partisan debate, as some question the ability of older politicians to effectively lead the nation.
Although Trump has consistently maintained his good health, even sharing a report from his physician in November declaring his cognitive health as “exceptional,” these statements have not silenced the speculation. Alyssa Farah Griffin, Trump’s former director of strategic communications, contributed to the ongoing conversation by telling a major news network in December that Trump appeared to be “slowing down,” a significant change from her observations while working closely with him in 2020.
However, the Trump campaign has dismissed these observations, with spokesperson Steven Cheung retorting that Griffin herself might be the one “slowing down” and needing to get checked out.
The narrative of Trump’s cognitive fitness for office is not only a personal critique from O’Brien but also fits into a larger pattern of observations by those who have worked with Trump over the years. Tony Schwartz, Trump’s ghostwriter for “The Art of the Deal,” has expressed regret over his role in shaping Trump’s public image, calling it a “nonfiction work of fiction” and labeling his decision to work with Trump a “Faustian bargain.”
Relevant articles:
– Donald Trump biographer says former president is in cognitive decline
– Trump Biographer Warns How Ivanka May Be Carved Up ‘Like A Turkey’ On The Stand, HuffPost UK, Thu, 02 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT
– Trump Biographer Predicts How Ivanka Trump’s Delayed Testimony May Backfire, HuffPost UK, Tue, 31 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT
– Donald Trump’s Ghostwriter Tells All, The New Yorker, Mon, 18 Jul 2016 07:00:00 GMT