Experts have raised fresh concerns over Donald Trump’s mental acuity following a series of bizarre public appearances, including a recent trip to the UK where he launched into an unprompted rant about windmills. The 79-year-old president has repeatedly drifted off topic, misremembered simple facts, and exhibited odd behaviour at campaign events, interviews and press conferences.
During a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump abruptly switched from discussing immigration to claiming windmills drive whales 'loco' and kill birds, despite evidence that their impact is minimal. In a cabinet meeting, he spent 15 minutes talking about decorating. He also claimed the US gave $60m to Gaza two weeks ago, but no record of such a donation exists, and he forgot that other countries, including the UK and EU, have contributed.
Harry Segal, a senior lecturer in psychology at Cornell University, said Trump’s digressions suggest he switches topics 'without self-regulation, without having a coherent narrative'. Segal also highlighted confabulation, where Trump adds fabricated details to real events, such as claiming his uncle taught the Unabomber at MIT.
Despite being heavily scrutinised over age-related gaffes during Joe Biden’s presidency, Trump has largely escaped similar examination. He has described himself as a 'stable genius', but Democrats, including Texas representative Jasmine Crockett and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have begun questioning his fitness for office.
