With Donald Trump having to spend more time in court as his lawyers defend him against charges of business fraud related to hush money payments handed over to adult film star Stormy Daniels, he has spent less time holding rallies where his verbal gaffes have led to concerns about his mental acuity.
However, as one psychologist has been making the case that the former president has been showing signs of increasing dementia explained, Trump's demeanor and repeated instances of dozing off at a trial where he is facing 34 felony counts should be raising new concerns.
According to Dr. John Gartner, a psychologist and former assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, impromptu naps for a man Trump's age is not unusual, but considering the circumstances, he added it to his list of concerns about the former president's mental state.
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In an interview with Salon's Chauncey DeVega, Gartner bluntly began, "Trump's trial in Manhattan is providing more evidence of his apparent cognitive decline."
Elaborating, he claimed, "Trump fell asleep 4 out of 6 days of his own trial. Falling asleep is not in and of itself particularly specific to dementia. I fall asleep at dinner parties, because I’m old and work too hard. Bill Clinton was famous for it. But can you remember a criminal defendant repeatedly unable to stay awake at his own trial? I can’t. It’s obviously very rare. Most people are pumped full of adrenaline when they’re in the dock."
According to the psychologist, it is fairly common for dementia patients to "pass out" and explained, "... this may be the first criminal trial I’ve been aware of where the defendant appears, in my opinion, to have dementia. Is it a coincidence that it’s also the only one I’ve ever known where the defendant can’t remain awake most days? Trump appears to be losing control of his basic biological functions. One is sleep-wake."
Gartner also expressed concern that the stress of the criminal trial, which could lead to jail time, might also be hastening Trump's decline.
"The trial is really a form of psychological torture for a malignant narcissist who needs to appear powerful. Instead, he appears small, confused, and helpless," he observed.
