Former President Donald Trump’s recent behavior is sparking concerns about his age and cognitive ability, with several former allies openly questioning his fitness for office. However, top U.S. newspapers seem to be giving this issue far less attention than they did when similar concerns were raised about President Joe Biden.
In February, coverage of Biden’s age or mental acuity spiked to 65 articles after the release of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents. The media frenzy was fueled by a line from the report suggesting Biden might be portrayed in a trial as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” In contrast, articles about Trump’s mental fitness have not come close to this volume of attention. As of October 15, only 11 articles have focused on Trump’s cognitive state during this crucial month before the election.
Concerns surrounding Trump’s mental state have been raised by several high-profile figures. Senator Lindsey Graham recently described Trump’s behavior as “becoming more erratic,” and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley spoke to journalist Bob Woodward about Trump’s “mental decline.” Additionally, during an October 14 town hall, Trump’s odd behavior, including swaying to music and punching the air, left many wondering about his cognitive stamina. Even The New York Times ran a front-page story titled “Trump Reignites Question of Age with Ramblings.”
Despite these incidents, the media seems less eager to focus on Trump’s mental fitness. Media Matters research showed that from January to June, the five leading U.S. newspapers published nearly 10 times as many articles focused on Biden’s age compared to Trump. Even when extending the period to nine months, Trump remained the subject of far fewer articles on his age and mental acuity—only 94 compared to Biden’s 136 over a shorter period.
Trump’s recent gaffes, such as confusing an Alaskan wildlife refuge with a military base in Afghanistan or calling Maine’s Gov. Janet Mills “he” during a campaign call, continue to raise eyebrows. Yet, print coverage has not matched the intensity seen for Biden. Trump has also refused to release his medical records, adding to the speculation, but the press has largely not pursued the issue with the same vigor.
The discrepancy in media coverage is evident. While articles about Biden’s mental acuity hit a peak of 65 in February, Trump’s highest tally reached just 15 in July, largely after Biden’s performance in a debate that sparked more questions about his ability to stay in the race.
With the 2024 election drawing nearer, Trump has provided ample reasons for the media to delve deeper into his mental fitness, yet top newspapers have not demonstrated the same urgency as they did for Biden. This discrepancy in coverage raises important questions about media fairness and the impact such reporting can have on public perception during a critical election cycle.
Methodology:
Media Matters reviewed print articles in the Factiva database from major newspapers, including The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, from January 15 to October 15, 2024. The analysis included any articles where Trump’s age or mental fitness was mentioned in the headline or lead paragraph. The same keywords were applied to analyze coverage of Biden earlier this year.
