Trump’s Mental Acuity in Decline, Says ‘Art of the Deal’ Co-Author: ‘He’s Lost a Step or Two’
Regency. (AFP)
Tony Schwartz, co-author of The Art of the Deal, expressed concerns over former President Donald Trump’s mental sharpness during an interview with MSNBC’s Ari Melber on Thursday. According to Schwartz, Trump’s cognitive abilities have noticeably deteriorated, particularly in his recent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Schwartz, who has known Trump since the 1980s, highlighted the stark difference in the former president’s mental state compared to previous years. “He is a very different man than the man in the late 1980s and the man I somewhat interacted with in the 2016 election and the 2020 election,” Schwartz explained. “This is a man who’s lost a great deal mentally.” He went on to question Trump’s ability to energize supporters beyond his core base, told Raw Story.
“This notion that he is still, like, capable of exciting a crowd, I’m just not sure that I believe, beyond that 20 or 25 percent that is absolutely the core, is true anymore.” During the interview, Melber played a clip of Trump, noting how the former president often goes off-script, despite being known for his media savvy.
Melber also shared comments from Trump aides, who claimed that Harris was “the best thing that ever could have happened to us” and that her supposed weaknesses would make it easy for Trump to win. However, Trump’s own statements appeared to contradict this confidence.
In the audio clip, Trump seemed to struggle with his thoughts. “The presidency was taken away from Joe Biden, and I’m no Biden fan,” Trump said. “People are saying he lost after the debate, he couldn’t win. Well, I don’t know if that’s true necessarily. Whether he could or couldn’t win, he had the right to run.”
Melber humorously pointed out the irony, laughing, “They call Trump the great advocate of Joe Biden’s political rights.” He remarked that Trump seemed to express a clear emotion, suggesting he might prefer Biden back.
Schwartz emphasized Trump’s apparent cognitive decline. “He just couldn’t put the two sentences together,” Schwartz observed. “He loses his train of thought. He doesn’t remember things.” While acknowledging he isn’t a clinician, Schwartz noted, “He sure seems to have lost a step or two.”
He added that Kamala Harris has consistently put Trump “on his back feet,” particularly since their debate, and concluded, “I don’t think he will recover his footing.” Schwartz’s assessment aligns with growing concerns about Trump’s mental fitness as the 2024 election approaches.
