Top GOP strategist raises alarm over Trump’s health— ‘He may not finish his term’

President Donald Trump’s doctors say he’s in excellent health, but some Republican insiders believe his mental sharpness may be fading — and could keep him from finishing his second term.

At 78, President Donald Trump is currently the oldest person to serve as U.S. president. In April 2025, he underwent a full medical exam involving 14 specialists. The results, shared with the public, showed no major concerns. His physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, said Trump has “robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and general physical function.”

Trump, who doesn’t smoke or drink, has also lost about 25 pounds since his first term and has improved cholesterol levels. Even the scars from the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania are minor, doctors said.

But for some observers, those medical results don’t tell the full story — especially when it comes to Trump’s mental clarity.

“He is incoherent” – Rick Wilson warns of cognitive decline

Rick Wilson, a longtime Republican strategist and co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, is sounding the alarm. In a recent interview with Times Radio, Wilson claimed that Trump is showing signs of cognitive decline that may affect his ability to serve out his second term.

“He is incoherent,” Wilson said. “His inability to articulate any thought or position without constant asides, constant lapses, the verbal aphasias he is experiencing at various points.”

Wilson, who has followed Trump closely since 2015, believes this version of the president is not the same man who won the White House in 2016 or returned to it in 2024.

“The Trump you’re watching today isn’t the Trump of 2015, or even the Trump of 2020,” Wilson said. “Whether he makes it through four more years is an open question.”

Trump’s April 2025 health screening included a neurological evaluation that examined his reflexes, motor skills, sensory response, and emotional well-being. The results showed no signs of depression, anxiety, or dementia.

Still, Wilson and others argue that test results don’t always reflect what’s happening in real life. He noted that some behaviors Trump has displayed — such as repeating stories, wandering off-topic during speeches, or struggling to find words — could be early indicators of cognitive decline.

“There are an awful lot of professionals in the world who are looking at the same set of behaviors and saying, ‘This is what we see in early dementia cases,’” Wilson said.

Trump haunted by father’s memory, says journalist

Veteran journalist Timothy L. O’Brien added another layer to the conversation during an MSNBC appearance. O’Brien, who has covered Trump for years, said the president is deeply worried about facing the same mental decline that affected his father, Fred Trump, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

“Trump is driven by either self-aggrandizement or self-preservation,” O’Brien said. “But he knows what happened to his father, and I think it haunts him.”

According to O’Brien, Trump’s recent comments about staying in power beyond his second term may not be just political talk — they may reflect a deeper fear of losing control, mentally or physically.

Trump’s April report marked a major shift from his previous approach to health disclosures. During his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, medical updates were brief and vague — often just glowing notes from personal doctors. But this time, the report was far more detailed, likely in response to increasing scrutiny.

In the months after the 2024 campaign, Trump’s team released updates from multiple physicians, including Dr. Ronny Jackson and Dr. Bruce Aronwald. While all of them praised Trump’s health, critics pointed out that no new cognitive screening results — beyond one done in 2018 — were made public.

As the president continues his second term, his every move is being closely watched — not just by political opponents, but by allies too. And for critics like Rick Wilson, the warning signs are already in plain sight.

“Passing a test isn’t the same as proving you’re mentally fit day in and day out,” Wilson said. “And the signs of trouble are happening in real time.”

Whether these concerns gain more attention may depend on how Trump performs in the months ahead — not on paper, but on camera, at the podium, and behind closed doors.

With more than three years left in his second term, Donald Trump’s health — especially his mental fitness — remains a topic of debate. Doctors say he’s doing well, but high-profile voices within his own party are saying otherwise.

Is this just political noise, or is there real cause for concern? Only time — and Trump’s actions — will tell.