Increasingly incoherent speeches, a volatile temperament, and brazen narcissism define Donald Trump's current behaviour. Understanding the president requires confronting an uncomfortable truth: his mental state appears to be in significant decline. This reality, writes Alan Rusbridger, makes his actions much more comprehensible, yet far more alarming for global stability.
The Unforeseen Constitutional Crisis
The American constitution, while brilliantly conceived, contains a critical flaw. The founding fathers, having escaped the rule of Mad King George III, designed a system to prevent monarchical tyranny. However, they failed to imagine a scenario where an elected president could wield immense power while being mentally unwell. Today, the nation faces this exact predicament, echoing WB Yeats's prophetic lines: "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world."
Symptoms of Decline
Medical precision aside, the symptoms are glaring. Even Trump's most ardent supporters now express unease over his impulsivity, malignant narcissism, and erratic volatility. The deranged stream of consciousness that floods his social media accounts at all hours reveals a conspiracy-obsessed mindset lacking in control. Observers note his increasing detachment from reality, frequent delusional claims, emotional volatility, and blatant disregard for democratic norms. His disinhibition, blustering menace, vengeful rants, and foul-mouthed posturing are profoundly abnormal. Yet, remarkably, many continue to behave as if this were standard presidential conduct.
Some adopt a craven silence, pretending not to notice. Others feel ideologically compelled to make excuses. For the rest, it is time to speak bluntly: the president's behaviour suggests severe mental instability.
The Failure of Institutional Checks
The 25th Amendment provides a mechanism to address presidential incapacity, but it has proven inadequate. It requires cabinet members and legislators to act—individuals who have thus far shown a stunning lack of courage and independent judgment. This represents a second failure of foresight by the founders, who designed Congress as a rival to the president, equipped with formidable checking powers. In practice, the 119th Congress has abysmally failed in this role, acting more like compliant lapdogs than a co-equal branch.
Judicial Complicity
The Supreme Court has been little better, often prioritising ideological loyalty over legal principle. As Lord Sumption noted regarding its decision to grant Trump immunity from prosecution: "If an ex-president is immune from criminal liability for trying to overthrow the constitution and install an unelected intruder in the White House, one is bound to wonder what is left of the constitution." While the Court recently showed some backbone on tariff issues, Trump's response was to denounce justices as "fools and lapdogs" and a "disgrace to our nation." He even visited the Court in person—an unprecedented move—to intimidate justices considering his bid to deny birthright citizenship.
The Media's Dilemma
The fourth estate now stands as a final check on power, yet Trump has relentlessly attacked journalistic organisations, labelling critical reporting as "fake news." His defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, hinted at further curbs, suggesting a Trump ally might soon take over CNN to limit its coverage. This raises a complex question for American journalists: how should they cover a president who may be mentally unwell? Traditional concepts of neutrality and objectivity struggle when dealing with potential incapacity.
Currently, journalists often engage in "sane-washing," attempting to lend coherence to Trump's pronouncements. They might describe his speeches as "rambling" but otherwise normalise the abnormal. However, recent performances defy such tidying up. For instance, during a high-level cabinet meeting on the Iran war, Trump spent five minutes discussing his preference for Sharpie pens. This isn't a mere digression; it's a flashing red light indicating profound disconnection from reality.
The Reality of Incoherence
Trump has tried to rebrand his non-linear, free-associative word salad as "the weave," but the public need not indulge this fiction. Consider a verbatim excerpt from a 2024 campaign speech, where he jumped from attacking Kamala Harris to boasting about his real estate losses, then pivoted to historical presidents and his own shooting incident, all without logical connection. This tirade is not unusually unhinged for Trump; it's typical of his raw incoherence, often sanitised by aides who then face presidential contempt.
Facing the Inevitable Conclusion
With anarchy being loosed upon the world almost hourly, reality must be confronted. There are approximately 30 weeks until Congress might reassert power after the midterm elections. The most powerful man in the world demonstrably lacks the mental capacity to fulfil his duties. Continuing to pretend otherwise only deepens the crisis. The time for honest assessment and decisive action is now, before further damage is done to the nation and global order.
