Two former members of Donald Trump’s first-term White House on Wednesday publicly raised concerns about the president’s mental acuity following his rambling press conference marking one year back in office.
Ty Cobb, who served as a White House attorney during Trump’s first term before becoming a vocal critic, told MS NOW’s Ari Melber that Trump’s cognitive decline is “palpable.”
It was echoed separately by former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who also described the president’s appearance as troubling.
Cobb suggested he didn’t think there’s now “anybody outside of the United States who believes that Trump is sane.” Melber pressed Cobb on whether he was referring to his personality traits or an actual decline.
“I think there’s been a significant decline,” Cobb replied. “He’s always been driven by narcissism. But I think the dementia and the cognitive decline are palpable, as do many experts, including many physicians.” Melber reminded viewers that Trump has not been diagnosed with a cognitive disorder.
Grisham, also a vocal critic of the president, detailed her concerns on X.
“This presser is bizarre even for him,” she wrote. “It’s all the usual rambling, off-topic tales, half-truths, lies, ‘I’ve fixed everything — no one has ever seen anything like it’ stuff.”
She then added: “But it’s low-energy & feels like he’s … mentally slipping.”
The remarks come amid mounting scrutiny of Trump’s health and mental fitness.
Last week, Jonathan Reiner, a CNN medical analyst, suggested Trump should undergo a new medical evaluation after appearing to nod off during a public event. Reiner later escalated his concerns, calling for a congressional inquiry into Trump’s “presidential fitness.”
