Fred Trump III, nephew of former President Donald Trump, is voicing growing concerns over his uncle’s mental health, suggesting the former president may be showing signs of cognitive decline. His remarks come amid increasing scrutiny over Donald Trump’s behavior and a family history marked by dementia.
Appearing on The Dean Obeidallah Show on SiriusXM, Fred III pointed to troubling parallels between Donald Trump and other family members who battled dementia, including their grandfather, Fred Trump Sr., who suffered from Alzheimer’s for nearly a decade before his death in 1999.
“I know what I saw in my grandfather,” Fred III said. “Donald has tried to claim his father was ‘tiptop until the end.’ I can assure you, that was not the case.”
In his new book, All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way, Fred explores the Trump family’s complicated legacy—including recurring health issues. He referenced other relatives, like Donald’s cousin John Walters, who also suffered from cognitive decline.
“The things [Donald] is spewing—the rambling, the inability to stick to a message—it’s just not the Donald I remember from years ago. He used to be sharper,” Fred added.
This isn’t the first time a Trump family member has spoken out about Donald’s mental fitness. Fred’s sister, psychologist and author Mary Trump, has been a consistent critic of her uncle’s behavior and has likewise expressed concerns about his cognitive state. Both Fred and Mary Trump have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race.
The irony hasn’t been lost on observers: Donald Trump frequently accused President Joe Biden of suffering from cognitive decline throughout the 2020 and 2024 campaigns. But now, similar questions are surfacing about Trump himself.
Experts have also weighed in. Dr. Jennifer R. Mercieca, a professor of communications at Texas A&M University, previously noted that Trump’s erratic speech and fragmented thoughts could signal deeper issues. “His lack of focus gives the impression of cognitive decline—an inability to maintain a coherent line of thinking,” she said.
Despite the mounting concerns, the Trump team continues to insist the former president is in excellent health. In a prior medical report, Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbarella, stated that the former president scored a perfect 30 out of 30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a widely used screening tool for early signs of dementia.
Still, Fred Trump III maintains that the warning signs should not be ignored. “This isn’t just about politics—it’s about the health of someone who still holds massive influence over millions of people,” he said.
