Trump’s Oval Office outburst has social media questioning his mental state: ‘A fairly textbook dementia symptom’

Trump’s Oval Office outburst has social media questioning his mental state: ‘A fairly textbook dementia symptom’ Trump directed his outburst at The Independent's White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in President Donald Trump’s Oval Office outburst has prompted renewed questions on social media about his mental state. During a Tuesday press gaggle, Trump repeatedly snapped at Andrew Feinberg, The Independent’s White House correspondent, ordering him to pipe down, warning him to “be careful” and labeling him a “sick person.” “Wait, wait, wait, wait. Quiet, quiet!” Trump said while seated behind the Resolute Desk. “What’s wrong with you? Are you a sick person? I actually think there’s something wrong with you.” Clips of the exchange and other clashes with Feinberg quickly went viral on social media, drawing millions of views and thousands of comments. While Trump has a long history of lashing out at journalists — he’s called them “treasonous,” “stupid” and “nasty” — many users expressed shock at the level of anger on display Tuesday. “Legit scary,” progressive political strategist Chris Sosa wrote on X. “Trump is a sick man. Literally something is broken,” added Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican congressman from Illinois. A number of commenters suggested the 80-year-old president was exhibiting signs of mental decline — claims the White House has repeatedly dismissed, countering that Trump is the “sharpest” president in American history. “If Biden wasn’t fit to campaign, Trump’s cognitive decline should disqualify him from the presidency,” radio host and political commentator Mark Bland wrote in response to a video of Trump barking at Feinberg. Others specifically raised the possibility of dementia. “This kind of aggression is a fairly textbook dementia symptom and I’m not sure why we’re not talking about it more,” wrote one X user. “I have looked after people with Dementia for around 8 years of my life. When I tell you that the way this man said ‘quiet’ paired with the facial expression has made me realise he’s got dementia,” added another. A third chimed in: “He is exhibiting Lewy Body Dementia symptoms. His demeanor changes at the drop of a hat.” Trump also had his share of defenders online, including Vice President JD Vance, who later called Feinberg an “imbecile.” Feinberg opened Tuesday by asking Trump about his anti-fraud crusade, specifically a new pledge to give whistleblowers 1 percent of the fraudulent funds they uncover. After both Trump and Vice President JD Vance responded, the president asked Feinberg: “Who are you?” When Feinberg later tried to ask follow-up questions, believing Trump had pointed to him, the president lashed out. “I don’t know who the hell you are, but you better be careful,” Trump said at one point. Minutes later, when Feinberg mentioned the president’s golf course renovation project, the president growled at him to be silent and called him a “sick person.” Trump is the oldest person ever to be inaugurated president. And the state of his mental and physical health has been the subject of growing public interest, following episodes of apparent daytime drowsiness, bruising on his hands and swollen ankles. Multiple health experts have spoken out. “The president has severe daytime somnolence,” CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner said in May. “And chronic insomnia is a severe illness. It can result in an increase in risk of dementia, a decrease in cognitive effects in older people.” Last month, Dr. Bandy Lee, a forensic and social psychiatrist who previously taught at Harvard and Yale, described Trump as “an incredibly mentally unstable individual who’s become far more unstable with time.” The White House has forcefully pushed back against claims that Trump is in any way unwell or unfit to serve. “If it quacks like a duck, it may actually just be a Democrat hack doctor,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle previously told The Independent. “President Trump is the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history and any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath they’ve sworn to,” he added. The White House has also attributed Trump’s recurrent bruising on his hands to frequent handshakes and said chronic venous insufficiency caused his ankle swelling. In response to claims that the president has fallen asleep in public, the White House Rapid Response account has posted screenshots of news anchors with their eyes closed, insinuating that they had nodded off. Trump has also insisted he is in excellent health, saying after a May physical that “everything” had “checked out PERFECTLY.” Polls indicate a large swath of Americans have concerns. In an April YouGov survey, 48 percent of respondents said that Trump has suffered modest or significant cognitive decline. The Independent has contacted the White House for comment. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments