Two former members of President Donald Trump’s first-term White House raised concerns about his mental sharpness on Wednesday. They did this after a disjointed press conference that marked one year since his return to office. Ex-White House lawyer Ty Cobb called the change “noticeable,” while former press secretary Stephanie Grisham described the appearance as “strange.”
Cobb, who worked as a White House attorney during Trump’s first term and later criticized him, made these comments in an interview with MSNBC host Ari Melber. He stated his belief that there has been “a significant decline” and described this change as “noticeable,” according to a report of the interview.
In the same discussion, Cobb claimed that “nobody outside of the United States” thinks Trump is “sane.” He distinguished what he called Trump’s usual personality traits from what he described as a decline in recent months. Melber pointed out on air that Trump has not been diagnosed with a cognitive disorder, based on the report.
Grisham, who also served as White House press secretary during Trump’s first term and later distanced herself from him, offered her own critique on social media. She stated that the president’s anniversary press conference was “strange even for him.” She referred to it as “all the usual rambling, off-topic stories, half-truths, lies,” and added that it was “low-energy,” noting that he seemed to be “mentally slipping.”
The White House press conference took place on Tuesday, Jan. 20, in the briefing room and lasted over an hour, according to Time. The report mentioned that Trump went off on long tangents as he highlighted his first year back in office and revisited personal grievances. Time stated that his remarks covered immigration enforcement, tariffs, foreign policy, and included his administration’s public efforts related to Greenland.
The criticism from Cobb and Grisham comes as Trump’s age and health continue to attract attention in Washington. The president is 79 years old. The White House has pointed to earlier medical evaluations indicating he did well on basic cognitive screenings. However, critics and some former aides cite his public appearances and written communications as signs of decline.
These new comments followed statements from Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a CNN medical analyst, who called for congressional action after a letter from Trump to Norway’s prime minister regarding Greenland was released. Reiner wrote on X that the letter and its circulation to other European countries “should trigger a bipartisan congressional inquiry into presidential fitness,” according to Mediaite.
Reiner’s post emerged as Trump’s second-term agenda has sparked major disputes over immigration enforcement, trade threats, and alliances, including his rhetoric aimed at European governments concerning Greenland.
Neither Cobb nor Grisham provided specific medical records in their remarks. Cobb mentioned what he described as assessments from “many experts” and “many physicians,” but the Daily Beast report noted that no public diagnosis has been announced for the president.
The White House did not immediately respond to Grisham’s post or Cobb’s interview. The administration has previously dismissed criticism from former aides as politically motivated and defended Trump’s fitness for office.
This incident adds to an ongoing political battle surrounding Trump since his first term, where questions about his temperament and truthfulness often overshadowed discussions of his public appearances. This week’s conflict focused on whether his recent performances indicate a change in cognitive ability, a claim made by Trump’s critics and rejected by the White House.
Trump’s upcoming public schedule includes more events related to his administration’s foreign policy efforts in Europe, according to reports tracking his travel and appearances around the World Economic Forum in Davos.
