Dr John Gartner, a psychologist and founder of 'Duty to Warn,' has reignited controversy by claiming that Trump is exhibiting clear signs of dementia and that officials are actively concealing the extent of his condition.
Doctor Raises Alarm Over Cognitive Decline
Speaking in a recent interview, Gartner insisted that Trump's repeated references to cognitive testing are not a sign of strength but a cause for concern. 'We only give these tests if there is some concern about cognitive decline,' he said, suggesting that multiple tests over time point to deeper medical worries.
He further claimed that extended visits to medical facilities such as Walter Reed indicate more than routine check-ups. 'You do not go there for hours unless doctors are doing a full neuropsychological evaluation,' he explained, arguing that the pattern of testing reveals 'serious medical concerns' behind closed doors.
Concerns have also been amplified by Trump's recent public conduct, with critics pointing to moments where his speeches appear disjointed or fixated on unusual topics.
One widely discussed example involved a lengthy and highly detailed story about a non-existent 'thousand dollar pen,' which Gartner described as a potential case of 'confabulation.' He explained this as a condition where individuals 'fill in memory gaps with fabricated stories,' often without realising they are doing so.
Gartner argued that such episodes go beyond simple exaggeration. 'These are elaborate narratives that have no clear advantage to him politically,' he said, adding that this kind of behaviour is 'very diagnostic of dementia.'
At other times, Trump has appeared more composed, leading some supporters to dismiss the concerns. However, Gartner noted that this inconsistency is typical. 'People with dementia have good days and bad days,' he said, pointing to reports that Trump maintains a limited daily schedule and is rarely seen during evening hours.
Claims of a Wider White House Cover-Up
Perhaps the most serious allegation is that of a coordinated effort within the White House to hide any signs of decline.
Gartner was blunt in his assessment, stating 'there is a cover-up going on, absolutely.' He suggested that aides and officials may be managing Trump's schedule and limiting his exposure to reduce public scrutiny.
Observers have noted that Trump's appearances are often brief and tightly controlled, with limited opportunities for extended questioning. Critics argue this could be deliberate, designed to avoid unscripted moments that might raise further questions.
The issue, Gartner claimed, is 'hiding in plain sight,' pointing to polling data that suggests a growing number of Americans are already concerned about Trump's mental sharpness.
Debate Over National Security
The controversy has inevitably raised questions about national security and whether a sitting president showing signs of cognitive decline could pose risks.
Gartner did not mince words, describing the situation as 'a national security nightmare' and warning that impaired decision-making at the highest level could have global consequences.
He also pointed to what he described as impulsive decision-making in foreign policy, arguing that such actions may reflect declining cognitive function rather than strategic planning.
The debate has even extended to constitutional questions, with some critics invoking the possibility of the 25th Amendment, which allows for the removal of a president deemed unable to perform their duties. Gartner stated that, in his view, Trump is 'unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.'
According to LADbible, Trump has increasingly ended his Truth Social posts with the same line: “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The phrase appears across a wide range of messages, from political statements to commentary on pop culture. The Washington Post reported that by December 2025, he had used the sign-off at least 190 times, suggesting it has since crossed the 200 mark.
Observers note that the posts often follow a familiar structure, featuring strong language, capitalized words and emphatic conclusions.
Psychological explanation
A psychologist cited by LADbible suggests the repeated phrase is designed to signal importance and authority, reinforcing the idea that the message deserves attention.
Rather than adding new meaning each time, the repetition itself may function as a rhetorical tool, helping to frame statements as decisive or urgent.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung also indicated that Trump intentionally uses the phrase as a firm closing, describing his communication style as direct and unambiguous.
Mixed reactions online
The phrase has not gone unnoticed, drawing reactions across social media and political circles.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has used it mockingly in posts, while online users have debated its meaning and tone. Some interpret it as an attempt to sound official, while others view it as passive-aggressive or even coded language.
Merchandise featuring the phrase has also emerged, showing how widely it has spread beyond Trump’s own posts.
A signature style
The repeated wording has become part of a broader communication pattern, alongside Trump’s use of bold claims and capital letters.
While interpretations vary, analysts agree the consistency helps create a recognizable voice that stands out in a crowded media landscape.
Whether strategic or habitual, the phrase has become a defining feature of Trump’s online messaging—and one that continues to draw attention.
President Donald Trump lashed out at the National Trust after it successfully sued for a preliminary injunction that halted construction of his $400 million White House ballroom.
"The National Trust for Historic Preservation sues me for a Ballroom that is under budget, ahead of schedule, being built at no cost to the Taxpayer, and will be the finest Building of its kind anywhere in the World," the president complained in a Truth Social post on Tuesday. "I then get sued by them over the renovation of the dilapidated and structurally unsound former Kennedy Center, now, The Trump Kennedy Center... where all I am doing is fixing, cleaning, running, and 'sprucing up' a terribly maintained, for many years, Building, but a Building of potentially great importance."
Trump went on to complain that the "Radical Left Group of Lunatics" was not suing Fed Chairman Jerome Powell for restoring the Federal Reserve.
"Or, have they sued on Governor Gavin Newscum's 'RAILROAD TO NOWHERE' in California that is BILLIONS over Budget and, probably, will never open or be used," he ranted. "So, the White House Ballroom, and The Trump Kennedy Center, which are under budget, ahead of schedule, and will be among the most magnificent Buildings of their kind anywhere in the World, gets sued by a group that was cut off by Government years ago, but all of the many DISASTERS in our Country are left alone to die. Doesn't make much sense, does it?"
Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones criticised Donald Trump, claiming the president was in 'free fall' and needed 'intervention'.
Jones suggested Trump's health was declining, comparing his current state to his late grandfather's dementia and claiming his brain was 'not doing too hot'.
He also alleged that swelling around Trump's ankles indicated heart failure and described Trump's suggestion to attack Iran's water supplies as a 'war crime'.
Jones called on Republicans to acknowledge Trump's perceived decline, stating, 'We’re sorry he’s obviously had an aneurysm or something or a stroke'.
This criticism marks a significant shift, as Trump previously appeared on Jones's show in 2015, praising his reputation, and other right-wing podcasters like Joe Rogan and Andrew Schulz have also recently criticised Trump.
The Department of Justice has awarded Michael Flynn, the retired three-star Army general who served as Trump's National Security Advisor for less than a month, a $1.25 million settlement—a decision that legal experts are comparing to outright theft of taxpayer funds.
Flynn's settlement, announced this week, compensates him for what the Trump administration is characterizing as wrongful prosecution. The irony is stark: Flynn pleaded guilty under oath in 2017 to intentionally making false statements to the FBI. He admitted to the crime in court with a lawyer present, with a judge confirming his understanding of what he was confessing to. Trump later pardoned him in 2020.
Now, with a new Trump administration in place, the Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has agreed to hand over more than a million dollars in public money to a man who has already admitted guilt.
"I really do not understand how you justify this as anything but theft," said Andrew Weissmann, a former DOJ prosecutor who spent 20 years at the Department of Justice and served as general counsel at the FBI,during an appearance on "The Illegal News" podcast this week. "To make this a legitimate settlement, there would have to be a good faith belief that he has a meritorious argument and that there might be some downside in litigating this."
Weissmann's critique goes to the heart of how government settlements are supposed to work. When the DOJ settles a case, there must be a reasonable belief that the other side might actually win if the case went to trial—a genuine legal dispute, in other words. But in Flynn's case, Weissmann argues, there is no such ambiguity.
"I don't see the downside of having taken it to court," Weissmann said. "The issues here seem so completely one-sided that I really do not understand how you justify this as anything but theft."
Flynn initially tried to withdraw his guilty plea, leading to years of litigation, but ultimately the legal process confirmed the guilty plea stood. There was no meritorious legal argument waiting to be discovered. There was no ambiguity about whether Flynn had committed the crime he admitted to committing.
Yet Bondi and Blanche signed off on the settlement anyway.
Weissmann raised additional concerns about the precedent this sets. "This is something that Michael Flynn admitted under oath he did, which was lied to the FBI. Now he then moved to withdraw his guilty plea. There was lots and lots of litigation back and forth, and that ultimately ended up with Donald Trump pardoning him," Weissmann explained.
The settlement also raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. Blanche was Trump's personal criminal defense attorney during his hush money trial and conviction. Now, as Deputy Attorney General, he's using government resources to benefit his former client.
"The next administration can look into this as an ethics issue," Weissmann said. "Remember, they represented Donald Trump individually. And they have to be looking out for the interests of the public, not for the interests of Donald Trump."
Perhaps most troubling to Weissmann is what this settlement signals about future Trump administration conduct. "This is the harbinger of more to come," he said, "because we know that Donald Trump wants to do this. And for all we know, this has been happening with other people doing this without bringing a lawsuit—just having a private agreement with the Department of Justice where they give out money and we just don't know."
For a President who spends as much time on social media asDonald Trump, it was perhaps only a matter of time before he was fooled by one of the many viral AI videos about his war in Iran.
The US President admitted last week that he had been fooled by a video apparently showing a US aircraft carrier on fire, and had to call one of his generals to find out what was going on.
Professor Stephan Lewandowsky, chair in cognitive psychology at the University of Bristol, said the war had produced what the New York Times called a “cascade of AI fakes”, at a scale not seen before, with a majority of AI-generated video promoting pro-Iranian narratives.
“The problem is that the production barrier has been eroded. What once required state-level resources can now be done cheaply by almost anyone, and platforms have in several cases reduced content moderation at exactly the moment the threat is accelerating”, he told The i Paper.
The social media platform X announced this month that it would temporarily suspend creators monetising content if they posted AI-generated videos of armed conflict without a label. However, that has not stopped the surge in misleading content across X, as well as other platforms including Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
Trump himself has a history of endorsing and believing fake news, including claims that he won the 2020 election, which he lost. He also has a track record of posting AI-generated content on his platform, Truth Social, with one expert telling The i Paper the President “very much lives in that chaotic and hoax-laden world”.
Abraham Lincoln ablaze
Trump has accused Iran of using AI to fabricate the footage of the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on fire.
Trump said the video showed “one of the great ships in the world on fire. They showed it on fire.” Speaking at the Trump-Kennedy Centre, he said: “I called the general, ‘General, what’s with the Abraham Lincoln? It looks like it’s burning down.’
He then quoted the general as staying: “No, it’s not burning down. Not a bullet was ever fired at it, sir.”
He added: “This is my first glimpse of AI and what they’ve done with it. They showed buildings in Tel Aviv burning to the ground, high rises burning. They showed buildings in Qatar. They showed buildings in Saudi Arabia burning, and they weren’t burning. They weren’t hit. It was all AI, AI-based. Terrible.”
He blamed Iran, adding: “They are a country that, for years, I didn’t know this until recently, they’re a country based on disinformation. And now they’re using disinformation plus AI. And that’s a terrible situation.”
Propaganda AI memes and videos are being heavily pushed online to a global audience by the Iranian regime and supporters, with state media broadcasting footage purporting to show massive strikes on enemy targets, which experts say is often fabricated.
Professor Lewandowsky said the incident was potentially alarming. “This is not merely a story about Trump’s credulity; it is a story about how vivid, emotionally compelling AI-generated content bypasses critical reasoning universally,” he said. “In this case, however, the consequences are potentially alarming: when a head of state briefly bases military anxiety on a deepfake, we have a problem.”
The fake footage appeared to show aircraft carrier USS ‘Abraham Lincoln’ (above) ablaze and under fire
He posted images on his social media in August 2024 of the singer and her fans supporting him, with the caption “I accept!” One photo shared by Trump depicted Swift fans wearing T-shirts that read: “Swifties for Trump”.
However, these images were AI-generated. Whether Trump knew this before sharing them remains unclear.
However, a month later, the singer took to social media to give her endorsement to Trump’s opponent, the then-vice-president Kamala Harris.
She wrote on Instagram: “Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”
Singer Taylor Swift showed support for former vice-president Kamala Harris in the last US presidential election
He said: “In Springfield, they are eating the dogs. The people that came in, they are eating the cats. They’re eating – they are eating the pets of the people that live there.”
City officials discredited the claim, saying there were “no credible reports” that this had occurred.
Trump dug in, however, claiming that he had seen TV interviews of people who said their dogs had been taken and used for food.
The conspiracy theory appears to have come from a variety of social media sources, including a Facebook post about crime in Springfield, which claimed Haitian immigrants killed a cat. A fake recording of a call to police in Springfield reporting a sighting of four Haitians carrying four geese also went viral.
Celebrities in Ukraine
Last year, a month after Trump’s inauguration, a video went viral claiming that the US government’s main overseas aid agency had paid Hollywood celebrities millions of dollars to visit Ukraine.
The clip, which appeared as an E! News video, claimed that actors including Angelina Jolie, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Ben Stiller were flown out to Kyiv to support Ukraine’s war effort and meet president Zelensky, funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID),
It reached millions of users and was shared by both Trump and his then-adviser Elon Musk on X, whose Department of Government Efficiency initiative was responsible for gutting the USAID.
However, E! News told Reuters the video was not authentic and did not come from them. The celebrities named also debunked the claim.
The misinformation tracker NewsGuard said the video had emanated from a pro-Russian propaganda group which spreads disinformation by spoofing reputable news organisations and agencies.
American actress Angelina Jolie was among the celebrities falsely reported to have been flown to Ukraine
White genocide in South Africa
Trump prompted outrage last year when he ambushed the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, in the Oval Office with a selection of videos and articles doing the rounds on social media that claimed a “white genocide” was taking place in the country.
The US President claimed that white farmers were being mass murdered in South Africa, a false claim that has been circulating in corners of the internet for years, which is linked to the racist conspiracy myth of the “Great Replacement”. He also offered white farmers asylum in the US.
Trump pointed to one clip showing white crosses, which Trump claimed were the graves of more than a thousand white farmers.
“These are the – these are burial sites right here. Each one of those white things you see is a cross. And there’s approximately a thousand of them. They’re all white farmers, the family of white farmers,” he said.
“What’s happening now is never reported. Nobody knows about it. All we know is we’re being inundated with people, with white farmers from South Africa, and it’s a big problem.”
However, his white genocide claims, which repeated claims he made during his first term, were quickly debunked by independent fact-checkers. The white crosses seen at the side of the road do not show graves. This was a claim circulating on social media in the days before the visit. A deep-dive on the image revealed it was actually part of a protest near the South African city of Newcastle on 5 September 2020, triggered by the murder of Glen and Vida Rafferty on their farm in August. The symbolic wooden crosses had been erected along the route by volunteers.
WASHINGTON — House Democrats tore into President Donald Trump on Friday over his push to stamp his name onto official U.S. dollar bills, blasting what they see as his latest self-promotional move.
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) told Raw Story he tried during the COVID-19 stimulus negotiations to block any president from signing checks, arguing Trump was overly focused on promoting himself while in the White House.
“That’s all he cares about,” Boyle said, adding that Trump ultimately signed the payments sent to millions of Americans with “a big, psychotic looking signature.”
Other Democrats on Capitol Hill were even more blunt.
“That’s all he cares about,” Boyle said, adding that Trump ultimately signed the payments sent to millions of Americans with “a big, psychotic looking signature.”
Other Democrats on Capitol Hill were even more blunt.
“Unbelievable,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) said. “That man is a nut. [He] really wants his name on everything.
Lofgren called Republican efforts to name things after the president “embarrassing.”
“I’m embarrassed for them,” she said.
Meanwhile, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) accused Republicans of enabling Trump out of fear.
“They’re afraid of him, and it's really pathetic,” McGovern said. “They're screwing over their own constituents on a daily basis, because they're more afraid of him than they are of the wrath of their constituents.”
The Massachusetts lawmaker didn’t hold back when asked about Trump’s signature push, calling it “so cringey” and “over the top.”
“I mean, like there's something wrong with him,” McGovern concluded.
