The buzz around President Donald Trump’s health just won’t quit. At nearly 80—the oldest person ever to take the oath—he keeps saying he’s in top shape, sharper than ever. But plenty of folks are watching closely, and some aren’t buying it.
Concerns kicked up again recently after his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos. People spotted noticeable bruising on his hands. The initial word was it came from accidentally hitting a bird (or maybe just bumping a table, depending on who’s telling the story), but it’s added fuel to ongoing questions about how he’s really holding up.
A licensed physical therapist named Adam James, who’s got 14 years under his belt working with patients (often posting as Epistemic Crisis), went on The David Pakman Show and laid out what he sees as red flags. Drawing from his experience with neurological cases, he pointed to things like Trump’s unusual way of walking—kind of swinging one leg out, trouble with balance that might hint at weakness on one side, maybe even something stroke-related.
Then there’s the speech stuff: occasional slurring, mixing up basic facts (like confusing Greenland and Iceland), sticking to the same handful of words over and over. James put it bluntly, saying it looks like the frontal lobe is shrinking, the kind of change you’d see on scans or in cognitive checks. He also flagged what seems like poor impulse control—things like blurting out sensitive military details in public—which could tie into brain areas that handle judgment and restraint.
James’s take? He suspects frontotemporal dementia, a tough progressive condition where folks typically have 7 to 12 years after diagnosis. But in Trump’s case, with the symptoms ramping up fast, plus his age and possible other issues (like heart or kidney stuff), James thinks it could be a lot shorter—maybe just 2 to 4 years. He stressed that even top-tier medical care can’t always slow things down if the core problems keep advancing or if advice isn’t followed to the letter.
Of course, none of this is an official diagnosis. Trump’s doctors haven’t come out and said anything about frontotemporal dementia or similar. It’s all based on what’s visible in public—videos, appearances, those little moments that add up for someone who’s trained to spot them.
Love him or not, it’s hard not to wonder what the next few years might bring. Trump’s always been front and center about feeling great, but these observations from pros like James are getting people talking. Time will tell how it all plays out.