Psychiatrist Warns Trump’s Decline May Take ‘Unthinkable’ Turn

A former Johns Hopkins University professor stated that President Donald Trump's public behavior shows signs of mental and cognitive decline. He warned that Trump’s recent online activity might be preparing Americans for actions once seen as unthinkable.

Dr. John Gartner made these remarks on The Daily Beast Podcast. He told host Hugh Dougherty that Trump's conduct has become more concerning as he nears 80.

Gartner, a psychologist and longtime Trump critic, noted that Trump’s social media posts, public remarks, and self-presentation suggest deterioration.

“Anyone who has eyes, ears, and a brain... and hasn’t drunk the Kool-Aid or been bitten by a MAGA zombie, can see for themselves that this person is obviously mentally ill and cognitively deteriorating,” Gartner said.

Gartner argued that the matter no longer needs a narrow debate on whether a professional can assess Trump from a distance. He claimed that the president’s public actions clearly show his condition to anyone observing.

“At this point, it’s absurd to ask, ‘Can you really make a valid diagnosis from a distance?’” Gartner said. “Not only can you make a valid diagnosis from a distance, you don’t even need to be a doctor.”

The White House dismissed Gartner’s comments.

“President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises, and he remains in excellent health,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told The Daily Beast.

Gartner pointed to Trump’s late-night posting habits and recent AI-generated images as evidence of a pattern. He suggested that Trump’s frequent nighttime posts indicate mania, sundowning, or both.

“First of all, he’s up at all hours of the night, posting all of these lies and crazy stuff,” Gartner said. “The pace of it—that someone would be up all night tweeting—is a clinical indicator of some kind of either mania or sundowning.”

Gartner focused on an AI-generated image Trump shared, showing himself pushing a large red button with a mushroom cloud in the background. Gartner claimed this image, combined with Trump’s public comments, should not be dismissed as humor or provocation.

“Let me tell you something about Donald Trump. He never jokes,” Gartner said. “Can you remember a single funny joke he’s ever told? I can’t. And he doesn’t bluff, either. What he does is groom us. He prepares us for things that would otherwise be unthinkable.”

Gartner continued by saying Trump was “grooming” the public for nuclear conflict. This remark came as Trump faced criticism over his handling of the war with Iran, a conflict dominating foreign policy discussion during his second term.

The former professor has previously claimed Trump has shown signs of frontotemporal dementia since 2019. He reiterated this in the podcast, stating that Trump’s judgment, inhibition, and impulse control seem to be worsening.

The Daily Beast also reported that Trump has pointed to his performance on cognitive tests, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, as evidence of his mental fitness. Dr. Henry David Abraham, a psychiatry professor emeritus at Tufts University School of Medicine, told the outlet that repeated testing over a short period could raise concerns.

“If you have one MoCA, that’s like taking your temperature,” Abraham said. “If a temperature is okay, you don’t come back every 10 minutes and take another temperature. But if it’s not okay, then you want to see where it’s going.”

Trump has consistently claimed he is in good health and dismissed concerns about his mental fitness. His supporters describe him as energetic and accessible, pointing to his public schedule and media appearances.