As Joe Biden’s presidency went down the tubes, in part due to concerns about his age and cognitive abilities, the question was often raised: What about Donald Trump’s own pretty clear cognitive decline?
As Trump’s 80th birthday approaches, and instances of his bizarre personal behavior continue to mount, The Atlantic this week wrote about the current president’s undeniable decline- and the difference between his and that of his predecessor.
Trump’s age isn’t getting the same kind of scrutiny as Joe Biden’s did—but as the president nears his 80th birthday, his recent behavior is prompting questions about his health, including from some in his own party, @jonlemire reports: https://t.co/jZJJf6Ygfe
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) May 18, 2026
“When Donald Trump took the oath of office last January, he was the oldest president to begin a term, clocking in at 78 years and 220 days,” The Atlantic writes. “He replaced the man who formerly held that title, Joe Biden, who had dropped out of the race after it became quite obvious to the entire country that he had aged too much, too quickly. But as Trump himself grows older—traveling less, switching to more comfortable shoes, and seeming to nod off during meetings—his age isn’t getting the same kind of scrutiny.”
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As author Jonathan Lemire notes, the declines between the last two presidents have looked very different.
“I have long thought that a reason for that is the president’s sheer size. Trump stands 6 foot 3 and, according to his most recent physical, weighs 224 pounds (yes, questioning that number is a legitimate thing to do). He is a big presence in any room, as opposed to Biden, who grew visibly thinner as he got older, adding to the appearance of frailty. Trump is also LOUD; Biden’s voice was frequently reduced to a gentle whisper. And Trump has the gift of omnipresence.”
Despite all that, there remains reason to believe the current president is declining.
“But as Trump turns 80 next month, his recent behavior should prompt even more questions than usual about his stability, judgment, and mental sharpness,” Lemire writes.
“Among the points of concern: a late-night social-media storm a few days ago featuring more than 50 messages, many strewn with dangerous or nonsensical misinformation, which followed a similar Truth Social broadside weeks earlier; an apocalyptic threat to wipe out a civilization; more and more insults (“nasty,” “stupid,” “ugly,” “treasonous”) hurled at reporters; appearing to fall asleep in public, sometimes twice in one week; deep bruises on his hands, which are covered in makeup and accompanied by confusing explanations; and long, odd tangents in speeches that seem longer and odder than his usual tangents. Never known for his ability to self-censor, Trump seems to have completely abandoned any sort of filter, tossing out messages from one extreme (He’s glad that Robert Mueller is dead!) to the other (actually, Trump is Jesus and shall heal the sick).”
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
