Donald Trump’s health concerns have reemerged as the U.S. President recently displayed what appeared to be signs of age-related issues. Alongside some of his controversial statements, he forgot the word Alzheimer’s disease during a press interview—creating an awkward moment that reignited conversations about his fitness for office.
It all occurred as the 79-year-old sat down for an interview with New York Magazine. Trump forgot the name of the condition his father dealt with, and needed White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to jump in and save him from further mortification. While the moment was caught on camera, the magazine nevertheless ended up describing it as a good-faith attempt to ascertain the truth by the President.
Donald Trump started off by saying, “He had one problem. At a certain age, about 86, 87, he started getting — what do they call it?” He then turned his head towards Leavitt, who promptly replied, “Alzheimer’s”. In response, Trump made another quick save attempt and said, “Well, I don’t have it.”
He pointed to his forehead and looked to his press secretary for the word that escaped him.
“Alzheimer’s,” Leavitt said.
“Like an Alzheimer’s thing,” Trump said. “Well, I don’t have it.”
“Is it something you think about at all?” I asked.
“No, I don’t think about it at all.…
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 26, 2026
What followed next was definitely a rather puzzling moment. Well, the U.S. President showed no signs of attachment to the fact that he too could develop Alzheimer’s, something which seems to be passed down to him hereditarily. Despite the momentous lapse of memory he just had, Trump switched back to his usual rhetoric when he said, “No, I don’t think about it at all. You know why? Because whatever it is, my attitude is whatever.”
Netizens found the most irony in Trump’s statements about his health while he openly exhibited seeming signs of being unfit. Rumors that he suffers from dementia have circulated for a long time. While no clinical proof exists, health experts and a considerable number of online critics have argued that the U.S. President is not in optimal health.
Moreover, the fact that Donald Trump happens to be the oldest sitting President at the moment has left many second-guessing whether the White House is hiding something even bigger. One may note that Trump’s frequently bruised hands covered with makeup, loss of balance while walking, swollen ankles, and more have led people to believe otherwise.
As far as the official update on the matter is concerned, the White House has previously confirmed that the U.S. President does suffer from chronic venous insufficiency. As per Karoline Leavitt, the particular health condition slows blood flow from the brain to the legs, and it only happens in aged individuals. As a result, Trump’s swollen ankles and little unsteadiness during walking became evident.
trump forgets a word and has alzheimer’s
biden did a debate while brain dead and they still tried to convince us he was okay https://t.co/yDK6VmawIS
— Jeffrey Geoffrey (@itsdougg) January 26, 2026
Speaking about his bruised hands, it was credited to Trump’s frequent hand-shaking at the Oval Office and extended to his high-dose aspirin intake. The 79-year-old had recently confirmed consuming an alarming amount of aspirin, which he explained to the Wall Street Journal, “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
Even though Trump has repeatedly claimed that he’s passed multiple high-level cognitive tests and is the best of his mind, his family seems to have a different take on the matter. For instance, his niece Mary Trump has already claimed that her uncle is showing similar signs to her grandfather when he suffered through Alzheimer’s.
While the President did not respond at all to the affirmations by someone this close, it was Stephen Miller who made the gigantic effort. Speaking to New York Magazine, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff had said, “He can work harder, and he has a better memory, and he has more stamina and more energy than a normal mortal. The headline of your story should be ‘The Superhuman President.’”
