As a former New Yorker, I can tell you none of this started with cognitive decline. We knew who Trump was long before he came down that escalator talking about Mexicans bringing drugs, crime and rape. The racism, the lies and the cruelty have been there for decades. Maybe age has taken away whatever filter remained, but we shouldn’t confuse a disappearing filter with a newly emerging character. This is who he has always been.
Trump's personality -- ego-centric, narcissistic, small-minded, petty -- has been baked in for a long time -- certainly as long as he has been in the public eye over the last few decades. His obsessions and predilections -- equating wealth with intelligence; equating whiteness with genetic purity; equating European heritage with cultural superiority -- have been apparent for decades as well. What has changed, in my view, is that he is no longer constrained by moderating influences. He is now rich enough to not need to grovel to the Elon Musks of the world. He occupies the most powerful position in the world (and while he is clearly angry that world leaders are not continuing to bend the knee) and there is no higher position to attain. (He did try for a Jesus role, but even his MAGA diehards weren't having it) Once the Supreme Court removed the impediment of felony charges and imprisonment, he became unbound by the need to adhere to societal or legal norms. He is a bully, as he has always been, but a bully unfettered by the need to sound reasonable or rational -- a bully unfettered by the need to pretend he cares about small-town populists, soldiers, hispanics, Jews, the downtrodden, whatever. He has always wanted to self-aggrandize, but the feverish pace he is keeping to slap his name on anything and everything [ buildings! monuments! turf grass! flag poles! navy ships! awards! peace institutes! IRA accounts! ballrooms! golf courses! hotels! meme coins! U.S. money! crypto!] may actually be an age-related phenomenon. Time is running out. Death comes for us all. I wish we could say that he has a sudden mental or physical illness that makes him unfit for office. At least that way, Republicans in Congress could (gratefully) point to a medical diagnosis to get him off the stage (you'd get Vance, sure, but he's just smarmy and doesn't bully anyone. Sitting/lame duck for 2028). No, unfortunately his illness, his personality disorder, is of longstanding origin and now, in his 80th year, it is in full flower.
Since neither Jim Acosta nor Maggie Haberman is a doctor, they should be referring this question to qualified specialists who have already offered their opinion. I am a retired clinical psychologist with over 40 years' experience assessing and diagnosing psychiatric patients. I agree with Tracye Tallent who says that DT is a danger to the country and the world. He has had serious impairments since before his first presidency, as documented by Dr. Bandy Lee, and they are getting much worse. Acosta and Haberman should know this but refuse to report it or refer the question to Dr. Lee. Is this really a true democracy with freedom of the press?
Thanks, JIM and MAGGIE HABERMAN: Natalie Harp did, at one time, try to get close to George W Bush, and they did not respond. She seems like a lost soul.
According to medical experts in psychiatry, DT is a danger to the country and the world!
He has acute, undiagnosed mental impairments that have never been treated(and sadly, probably never will be)
Dr. Lee and her colleagues entered a statement into the congressional record(Vol 172 N 76) on April 30, 2026)
that DT needs to be removed for medical reasons.
Today is, August 21, 2026 and legacy media, the GOP and others continue to gaslight us all.
It’s unbelievable!
As a former New Yorker, I can tell you none of this started with cognitive decline. We knew who Trump was long before he came down that escalator talking about Mexicans bringing drugs, crime and rape. The racism, the lies and the cruelty have been there for decades. Maybe age has taken away whatever filter remained, but we shouldn’t confuse a disappearing filter with a newly emerging character. This is who he has always been.
To
Trump's personality -- ego-centric, narcissistic, small-minded, petty -- has been baked in for a long time -- certainly as long as he has been in the public eye over the last few decades. His obsessions and predilections -- equating wealth with intelligence; equating whiteness with genetic purity; equating European heritage with cultural superiority -- have been apparent for decades as well. What has changed, in my view, is that he is no longer constrained by moderating influences. He is now rich enough to not need to grovel to the Elon Musks of the world. He occupies the most powerful position in the world (and while he is clearly angry that world leaders are not continuing to bend the knee) and there is no higher position to attain. (He did try for a Jesus role, but even his MAGA diehards weren't having it) Once the Supreme Court removed the impediment of felony charges and imprisonment, he became unbound by the need to adhere to societal or legal norms. He is a bully, as he has always been, but a bully unfettered by the need to sound reasonable or rational -- a bully unfettered by the need to pretend he cares about small-town populists, soldiers, hispanics, Jews, the downtrodden, whatever. He has always wanted to self-aggrandize, but the feverish pace he is keeping to slap his name on anything and everything [ buildings! monuments! turf grass! flag poles! navy ships! awards! peace institutes! IRA accounts! ballrooms! golf courses! hotels! meme coins! U.S. money! crypto!] may actually be an age-related phenomenon. Time is running out. Death comes for us all. I wish we could say that he has a sudden mental or physical illness that makes him unfit for office. At least that way, Republicans in Congress could (gratefully) point to a medical diagnosis to get him off the stage (you'd get Vance, sure, but he's just smarmy and doesn't bully anyone. Sitting/lame duck for 2028). No, unfortunately his illness, his personality disorder, is of longstanding origin and now, in his 80th year, it is in full flower.
Since neither Jim Acosta nor Maggie Haberman is a doctor, they should be referring this question to qualified specialists who have already offered their opinion. I am a retired clinical psychologist with over 40 years' experience assessing and diagnosing psychiatric patients. I agree with Tracye Tallent who says that DT is a danger to the country and the world. He has had serious impairments since before his first presidency, as documented by Dr. Bandy Lee, and they are getting much worse. Acosta and Haberman should know this but refuse to report it or refer the question to Dr. Lee. Is this really a true democracy with freedom of the press?
Thanks, JIM and MAGGIE HABERMAN: Natalie Harp did, at one time, try to get close to George W Bush, and they did not respond. She seems like a lost soul.
Thanks Tommy.
Confusing headline, Tommy: the word order makes it sound as if it was Haberman who asked the question. Maybe “ Haberman is asked if…”
Can't it be both?
Because I'm pretty sure both are true.