Trump Mentals Strong. Like Nothing You’ve Ever Seen. Vietnam.
Was ‘Meet the Press’ an interview or a health event?
1. Covfefe
Maybe you haven’t seen Trump’s appearance yesterday on Meet the Press yet but OMG it’s a trainwreck. People are fixated on the fact that Trump walked out on Kristen Welker, but honestly that’s the least worrisome aspect of the interview.
The United States is at war and the president is non compos mentis.
We’re going to talk about what has to be the most batshit insane presidential interview in the history of our country. And then we’re going to talk about what the effects of this performance will be as other countries—both allies and adversaries—start to understand that the American president is not all there.
But first we should just list some facts:
Trump turns 80 next week.
He frequently falls asleep in public, during official events.
His legs are swollen.
There is a rash on his neck.
In October 2025 he said that he’d undergone an MRI but couldn’t recall what part of his body was imaged. Months later, it was revealed that he had been given a CT Scan and not an MRI, and that his chest and abdomen were imaged.
He’s been inspected by doctors three times in the last fourteen months. (This is in addition to three dental appointments.)
I want to be very clear about this: The president’s medical team is about as trustworthy as Vladimir Putin’s. No credible explanations have been given for any of his obvious physical problems. There are no explanations for frequent medical appointments. His health records are only selectively released. His physicians tend to be Rasputin-style quacks. No, really. Do you remember this moment from January 2018?
“I told the president if he had eaten a healthier diet over the last 20 years he might live to be 200.” —Trump Presidential Physician Dr. Ronny Jackson
When Trump and the administration say that he has “aced cognitive tests,” you must understand that regular order no longer applies. You cannot trust these reports any more than you would trust Moscow or Pyongyang.
The only cognitive tests you can put stock in are what you see from the president with your own eyes. And from where I sit, Trump just had a health event on television.
Let’s dive in.
Join Bulwark+ to unlock the rest
Become a paying member of The Bulwark to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content. A subscription gets you:
- Unlimited access to articles and newsletters including The Triad by JVL and Receipts by Catherine Rampell.
- Ad-free editions of our shows (with transcripts) and member-only shows like The Secret Podcast.
- Plus community chats and commenting features. Your support helps keep our work sustainable and available to those who cannot afford a membership. Cancel anytime.

