Supporters of Donald Trump are increasingly worried about the former president’s mental health, with his recent appearance on Fox & Friends highlighting his struggles. Scheduled for an early-morning interview—a common practice for presidential candidates—Trump’s performance on October 18, 2024, has many questioning his fitness for office.
Despite his loyal supporters praising his energy, labeling him as having “unreal stamina,” and calling him a “machine,” the cracks in Trump’s cognitive abilities were hard to ignore. While his team tried to present his behavior as an example of his strength and focus, the reality painted a different picture.
During the interview, Trump made several baffling statements. At one point, he revealed without intention that Fox News staff had written some of his jokes for a recent dinner. He also failed to capitalize on an easy opportunity to praise Nikki Haley, instead taking the moment to remind viewers of how he had “beaten her badly.” As the interview progressed, Trump’s rambling became more pronounced. He digressed into irrelevant anecdotes about “the old days” and confusingly complained about negative ads on Fox News, perhaps trying to reference his opponent Kamala Harris.
It became painfully clear when co-host Brian Kilmeade attempted to cover for Trump’s incoherent shifts in conversation, referring to it as “the weave.” The term has become a common euphemism used by Trump’s supporters to describe his tendency to jump between topics without a clear connection, seemingly an attempt to downplay what could be signs of cognitive decline.
Perhaps the most striking moment came when a child asked Trump about his favorite farm animal. Trump responded by saying he loves cows but quickly pivoted into a bizarre statement about Kamala Harris, claiming that under her leadership, “we won’t have any cows anymore.” Despite the laughter, Trump appeared confused, as if unsure why people were laughing. He reiterated the point, doubling down on his odd statement, which only resulted in more awkward silence.
Following the interview, Trump’s campaign staff made efforts to downplay the situation, even canceling planned appearances on 60 Minutes, CNBC, NBC, and other smaller media outlets. They also confirmed that Trump would not be participating in a second debate with Kamala Harris and pulled out of an NRA rally, citing “exhaustion” as the reason for these cancellations. However, political insiders suspect the issue goes beyond simple fatigue.
The Harris campaign has capitalized on Trump’s recent erratic behavior, with spokesman Ian Sams questioning Trump’s fitness for office. “This is a very serious moment for our country, and you think about the decisions a president has to make. Are you physically capable of doing it?” Sams asked during a CNN interview.
While Trump’s camp has dismissed concerns, insisting that the former president is “running laps around Harris,” the unease within his circle is evident. Trump’s father passed away from Alzheimer’s, and speculation about Trump’s mental state has grown as he continues to display signs of possible cognitive decline. Despite his claims of having “aced” cognitive tests, Trump’s history of dictating his own medical reports has raised doubts.
As Trump’s team works to shield him from negative media coverage, the reality is becoming increasingly hard to hide. With each public appearance, more Americans are questioning his ability to handle the responsibilities of the presidency, raising doubts about whether Trump can maintain his campaign’s momentum moving forward.
