Recent erratic and often profane remarks by US President Donald Trump have reignited a long-standing debate over his psychological fitness for office, with critics across the political spectrum questioning whether his behaviour reflects calculated strategy or deeper instability at a time of global tension.
In recent days, Trump has delivered a string of disjointed and difficult-to-follow statements, including a warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” in reference to Iran and a sharp attack on the “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy” pope, reports New York Times.
The remarks have prompted critics to characterise him as erratic and unrestrained, though some supporters argue the rhetoric is deliberate brinkmanship.
The White House has dismissed such concerns, maintaining that the president remains mentally sharp and is intentionally keeping opponents off balance.
Nonetheless, the tone and frequency of Trump’s outbursts have attracted scrutiny not only from political rivals but also from former allies, retired officials and sections of the conservative base.
Democrats have renewed calls to invoke the 25th Amendment, which allows for the removal of a president deemed unfit to serve. Concerns are no longer confined to partisan critics, with diplomats, military figures and right-leaning commentators increasingly voicing unease.
Among prominent critics, former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has broken ranks with Trump and supported invoking the amendment, saying that threatening to destroy Iran’s civilisation was “not tough rhetoric, it’s insanity.”
Conservative commentator Candace Owens described Trump as “a genocidal lunatic,” while conspiracy theorist Alex Jones said the president “does babble and sounds like the brain’s not doing too hot.”
Former insiders have also raised alarm. Ty Cobb, who served during Trump’s first term, called him “a man who is clearly insane” and said his recent social media posts “highlights the level of his insanity.” Former press secretary Stephanie Grisham wrote that “he’s clearly not well.”
Trump responded with a lengthy social media post, dismissing his critics as unintelligent and attention-seeking. “They have one thing in common, Low IQs,” he wrote of Owens, Jones, Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson.
“They’re stupid people, they know it, their families know it, and everyone else knows it, too!” He added, “They’re NUT JOBS, TROUBLEMAKERS, and will say anything necessary for some ‘free’ and cheap publicity.”
Despite mounting criticism, Republican lawmakers and cabinet members have remained publicly supportive, making any move to invoke the 25th Amendment highly unlikely. However, opinion polls indicate growing public concern.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey found that 61 per cent of Americans believe Trump has become more erratic with age, while only 45 per cent consider him mentally sharp, down from 54 per cent in 2023. A YouGov poll showed that 49 per cent think he is too old to serve, compared with 34 per cent earlier.
Senior Democrats have intensified their attacks. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer described Trump as “an extremely sick person,” while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labelled him “unhinged” and “out of control.”
Representative Ted Lieu went further, calling him “batshit crazy.” Representative Jamie Raskin formally requested a medical evaluation, citing “signs consistent with dementia and cognitive decline” and “increasingly incoherent, volatile, profane, deranged, and threatening” behaviour.
Supporters, however, argue that Trump’s conduct is intentional. Conservative columnist Liz Peek wrote that “Trump knows exactly what he is doing,” describing his approach as a strategy of “maximalist (and sometimes outrageous) military and diplomatic pressure.”
Trump himself rejected concerns about his mental fitness, saying, “I haven’t heard that. But if that’s the case, you’re going to have to have more people like me because our country was being ripped off on trade, on everything, for many years until I came along.”
White House spokesman Davis Ingle defended the president, saying his “sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast” to recent years under Joe Biden, whose age and health also faced scrutiny.
Questions over presidential fitness are not new in US history. Figures such as Abraham Lincoln, who struggled with depression, and Woodrow Wilson, who suffered a debilitating stroke, faced similar concerns.
Ronald Reagan also drew scrutiny over his cognitive state late in his presidency. However, historians say the scale and visibility of the current debate are unprecedented.
Julian E. Zelizer, a Princeton historian and editor of a book on Trump’s first term, said “Other than Nixon, there has never been this level of concern over time,” referring to Richard Nixon, who once promoted the “madman theory” in foreign policy.
Zelizer added that, unlike the 1970s, concerns today are amplified by social media and constant media coverage.
Trump has at times openly embraced unpredictability as a tactic. He once told former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, “Make them think I’m crazy,” referring to North Korea.
He also told former Attorney General William Barr that the secret to an effective tweet was “Just the right amount of crazy.” However, he recently suggested his threats towards Iran were genuine, saying, “I was willing to do it.”
Observers say Trump’s second term appears to have fewer internal constraints than his first, with longer and more meandering speeches that often drift into tangents or factual inaccuracies, while advisers appear less inclined to intervene.
Despite the controversy, Trump’s approach continues to resonate with parts of the electorate. Analysts say that in a deeply polarised political climate, some voters see his unpredictability as a rejection of establishment norms and even as a strength.
As the debate intensifies, whether Trump’s conduct reflects calculated strategy or genuine instability remains unresolved, with significant implications for US politics and global affairs.
