Rick Wilson is one of the renowned names in the republican circuit. He is a prominent Republican strategist and co-founder of the Lincoln Project.
He recently made comments about Donald Trump‘s visibly failing cognitive health. He claimed that with a decline like this, he is not sure if President Trump will be able to finish his term. This statement brought out hidden concerns among MAGA, publicans who have boasted about Trump’s candidacy for a third term.
“We’re witnessing frequent incoherence, verbal aphasias, and long, meandering answers that raise legitimate red flags,” Wilson claimed. He also claimed that these symptoms are different from Trump’s earlier demeanor, and they indicate a potential shift in his mental sharpness.
However, official medical reports from the White House paint a different picture. In April 2025, President Trump underwent a thorough medical evaluation. It was conducted by Dr. Sean P. Barbabella.
“President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”
–Capt Sean P. Barbabella, D.O., MC, USN, Physician to the President pic.twitter.com/K7XrRqK3QQ
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 13, 2025
The results concluded that Trump is in “excellent health,” citing robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical condition. However, the report notably did not include detailed results of any advanced cognitive testing. Questions related to mental acuity were left unanswered.
Donald Trump hiding his medical history is not a new narrative. There has been a tight grip on his medical reports, even during his first term. The so-called cognitive ability test he took that famously had the five words- Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV. He touted the result of this exam over and over again and repeated these words like a mantra. However, this test proves nothing.
“…AND then he said he got EXTRA POINTS for repeating the words ‘person, woman, man, camera, TV’ in the right order!”#personwomanmancameratv #TrumpVirus
— David Leavitt 🎲🎮🧙♂️🌈 (@David_Leavitt) July 23, 2020
Donald Trump’s medical statements even contain his height and weight, which are visibly incorrect. Given these errors and omissions, it becomes a tad difficult to trust the report shared by the white house.
In past years, statements about his health often came from personal physicians. These physicians are arranged under politically convenient circumstances and often lack details otherwise shared.
However, the report shared by the White House in April had a few detailed descriptions that were earlier missing from his reports. Yet, the omission of concrete cognitive assessments falls short of addressing public concerns.
Donald Trump, at age 78, is now the oldest nominee for President in U.S. history.
Mehdi Hasan has the receipts on Trump’s noticeable cognitive decline.
Will the main stream media now make that the top story every day until November 5?
Is age still a major issue in 2024 race?… pic.twitter.com/SAIXdJXQCA
— LongTime🤓FirstTime👨💻 (@LongTimeHistory) July 21, 2024
At 78 years old, Donald Trump is the oldest candidate to be inaugurated for the second term in the history of the country. No one denies the immense pressure an American president is under at all times. The second terms are famously more intense than the first terms.
His cognitive health is not just a medical concern but a national issue. It has significant implications for governance and stability.
Dr. Barbabella’s evaluation emphasizes that the president is in good health. However, Wilson and others urge that more comprehensive, transparent cognitive assessments are necessary.
Fred Trump III says his uncle Donald is showing signs of dementia similar to his father & grandfather:
“I know what I saw in my grandfather. I know what I saw in Donald’s older sister, my Aunt Maryanne…It runs in the family.”
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 19, 2024
Fred C. Trump III, the president’s nephew, has also entered the conversation. He has pointed out behavioral similarities between the president and their grandfather, Fred Trump Sr., who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. He has expressed concern about moments of confusion and apparent disorientation in Donald Trump’s demeanor, which has further amplified the public’s unease.
As Trump continues his presidency, there are growing calls for clarity. There is also an emphasis on the importance of accountability, transparency, and routine health monitoring, especially when Trump is planning to open an investigation on Joe Biden for hiding his health concerns during his last presidency.
