Concerns surrounding Donald Trump’s health have reignited as the former president pursues a second term in the White House. While discussions about his policies and ongoing legal battles continue, a new focus has emerged—one that questions his cognitive sharpness and physical ability to complete another full term if reelected. These questions are not coming only from opponents but from within Republican circles as well.
Rick Wilson, a veteran GOP strategist and co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, recently spoke with Times Radio and expressed deep concerns. According to Wilson, Trump is showing clear signs of cognitive decline. “He can’t hold onto a single thought,” Wilson said. “His speeches are filled with abrupt topic changes, strange word choices, and moments where he seems completely disconnected from what he’s saying.”
Wilson didn’t frame these moments as simple verbal stumbles or age-related forgetfulness. Instead, he suggested they might be indicative of more serious cognitive issues. He cited repeated “verbal aphasias”—a term used for language disruptions often associated with neurological conditions. Slurred words, odd phrasing, and incomplete sentences have become more common, Wilson claims, and he sees them as troubling signals of deeper decline.
These concerns aren’t new. Trump’s health has been a recurring point of interest throughout his political career. During his presidency, a surprise 2019 visit to Walter Reed Medical Center raised speculation about his health. Though the White House insisted it was a routine check-up, no detailed explanation was ever given. A year later, Trump was hospitalized with a severe case of COVID-19, which required oxygen and an aggressive treatment regimen. The public has questioned the long-term effects of that episode ever since.
Yet in April 2025, Trump’s medical team released a comprehensive health report that painted a very different picture. The report, led by Dr. Sean Barbabella and a team of 14 specialists, described Trump as being in “robust” health—physically and neurologically. According to their findings, Trump had lost nearly 25 pounds, lowered his cholesterol, and passed neurological screenings with no signs of memory or mood disorders. Detailed tests of his heart, lungs, and brain function reportedly showed nothing alarming.
So who’s right?
Wilson argues that a clean bill of health on paper doesn’t reflect the reality voters are seeing on the campaign trail. “It’s not about how you perform during a physical exam in a doctor’s office,” he said. “It’s about how you perform in front of the nation, under pressure.”
He referenced several recent campaign speeches in which Trump mispronounced names, confused basic facts, or lost track of his thoughts mid-sentence. To Wilson and others, these aren’t random gaffes—they’re part of a pattern. And it’s a pattern they say mirrors the concerns many have expressed about Joe Biden, who, at 81, is already the oldest sitting president in U.S. history.
The similarities between the two candidates’ ages are impossible to ignore. If Trump wins in 2024, he’ll be 79 when sworn in. Biden would be 82 if reelected. With both contenders well into their senior years, age and cognitive health have become unavoidable issues in the election conversation. Americans, more than ever, are wondering if there should be formal age or cognitive testing for those seeking the presidency.
Trump’s team, however, has dismissed Wilson’s warnings as politically motivated fearmongering. They maintain that the former president is more energetic than ever, capable of delivering lengthy speeches and managing a busy travel schedule with ease. Conservative media outlets have echoed this stance, often mocking concerns about his health and portraying Trump as a relentless political force still ready to take on the world.
It’s also worth noting that Wilson’s group, the Lincoln Project, has been outspoken against Trump for years. Formed by disillusioned Republicans during Trump’s first term, the organization has spent millions on ads attacking his policies, character, and leadership. Critics argue that Wilson’s recent comments might be less about genuine concern and more about continuing that long-standing opposition.
Still, Wilson insists his alarm isn’t about party loyalty—it’s about national leadership. “This isn’t political anymore,” he said. “It’s about whether the man can actually do the job.”
As the 2024 election draws closer, these debates are only intensifying. Voters are paying closer attention to not just what candidates say, but how they say it. They’re watching for signs of energy, coherence, and presence. For some, Trump still exudes all of that. For others, the red flags are impossible to ignore.
And what if Trump were to win—but later be unable to serve? The 25th Amendment provides a path for the vice president to step in, but it’s a complicated process, especially in a politically charged climate. No one wants to face that scenario, yet many are beginning to quietly prepare for it.
In the end, it may come down to what voters see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears. The official reports may say one thing, but the campaign trail tells its own story. Whether Trump is, as his critics claim, a man in decline—or as his supporters insist, still at the top of his game—will be decided not just by doctors or strategists, but by the American people come election day.