Donald Trump is showing signs of age-related “cognitive decline”, a top doctor has claimed. Dr. Vin Gupta said the US President is slowing down and “something” was happening to Mr. Trump's mental capabilities.
The doctor's claims came after analysis published by the New York Times showed Mr. Trump79, carried out fewer engagements in the first 10 months of his second term (1,029) compared with his first (1,688). Dr Gupta told the MeidasTouch podcast: “It is clear there is age-related cognitive decline, that's obvious.
“His response to somebody fainting in the Oval Office conveyed that. He didn't show any signs of concern. He didn't really do anything. He was slow to respond and that slowness and fatigue you're seeing more and more in his public events.”
He then added: “Imagine if President [Joe] Biden did any of those things. He did a fraction of it from what I saw in the lead-up to the 2024 election, and people forced him out of the race.”
Earlier in November, a guest fainted during a presentation on weight loss drugs at the Oval Office. Mr Trump paid no attention as Dr Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, helped the man.
Questions have previously been raised about Mr Trump's health, driven in part by his age, weight and medical history.
He had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan in October. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt refused to answer questions from reporters earlier this month about the reasons for the scan.
Ms Leavitt said Mr Trump “received advanced imaging” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in October “as part of his routine physical examination”. She did not say exactly which part of Mr. Trump's body was the focus of the scan.
She said: “The full results were reviewed by attending radiologists and consultants and all agreed that President Trump remains in exceptional physical health.”
Mr Trump had previously admitted to the press that he had undergone a scan, but he did not explain why.
Dr Gupta told the podcast: “Clearly, they're not getting MRIs just because that's just the moment that we live in. There's a reason, and they're worried.
“Frankly, piecing this all together, there's a reason to be worried based on his public performance.”
In response to the NYT report, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “The Radical Left Lunatics in the soon to fold New York Times did a hit piece on me that I am perhaps losing my energy, despite facts that show the exact opposite.
“They know this is wrong, as is almost everything that they write about me, including election results, ALL PURPOSELY NEGATIVE.”
Earlier this week he hit out at a recent report which stated he faces the “realities of aging in office”. In response, Mr Trump declared he is in perfect mental and physical health.
Mr. Trump previously fueled speculation about the health of his predecessor, Joe Biden, and his fitness to lead.
In June, Mr. Trump ordered an investigation into claims of a “conspiracy” to cover up an apparent decline in Mr. Biden's cognitive abilities while he was in the White House.
Mr. Biden and his supporters have long dismissed such claims as attempts to discredit him.