The report stated on The Weekend: Primetime that Donald Trump is deeply concerned about experiencing the same cognitive issues his father dealt with.
In the program’s second-ever episode, Timothy L. O’Brien as Bloomberg Opinion’s senior executive editor discussed how what Trump said about a possible third term is not permitted under U.S. laws.
O’Brien believes Trump is motivated either by the need for recognition or by the idea of self-defense and thinks Trump probably wants to remain in power forever, but is unlikely to run for another term.
O’Brien joked, “He’d hope to reach the age of 300.” He might like to be president for almost a third of those years.
Yet, Trump cannot escape the familiar effects of growing old. When watching that clip, O’Brien said he noticed just how much Donald Trump has changed physically. There are those who say a third term is unlikely and the 22nd Amendment would certainly block it, but also, his age, as he turns 79 in June.
O’Brien points out that because the Constitution limits leaders to two presidential terms, Trump’s mental health and his fear of not being well are the bigger concerns, according to The Washington Post.
“He is deeply afraid he will end up with the same problems his father had, moving from dementia to Alzheimer’s,” he explained. “He’s been carrying the weight of his past for a long period.”
At 93, Fred Trump, who was a well-known real estate developer, died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s in 1999. Although dementia had been diagnosed in 1991, he continued to work even as he declined. Family friend Richard Levy said, “He was always at the office every day until he needed to go to the hospital.”
According to O’Brien, Trump does not frequently mention the topic due to the risk for politicians. He’s often ridiculed Joe Biden’s mental state, so saying anything about his own health could be seen as hypocritical. However, according to O’Brien, people who know Trump have seen the warning signs.
“Trump 2.0 is different from Trump 1.0,” O’Brien pointed out, “He’s speaking more slowly than before, is less energetic and holds himself in a slumped posture.” I start to wonder if he still truly cares about his job or if he only stays in politics because it protects him from jail and the media.
Last year, in an interview with People, Fred C. Trump III noted that he does see signs of Trump’s mental health deteriorating which remind him of what he has seen before.
“I’ve observed the changes, just like many others,” Fred said when we talked. I notice it playing out in much the same manner as my grandfather’s last days. Those who insist the Trump family doesn’t have any members with dementia are simply not being honest.
