What We Know About Donald Trump's Father's Battle With Alzheimer's

The 2024 US Presidential election will not just be remembered for its unexpected outcome, but also for how both sides took it personally in condemning each other. For instance, Donald Trump didn't leave any stone unturned to mock Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for their mental incompetence, urging them to take cognitive tests. Yet, he didn't discuss own family's struggles with cognitive disorders, and how his father, Fred Trump, battled Alzheimer's before his death in June 1999.

Fred showed early signs of dementia around 1990. While appearing on Diane Rehm's "On My Mind" podcast, Washington Post reporter Michael Kranish revealed that medical records submitted during a court case in the 1990s showed Fred had been diagnosed with dementia by 1991. Kranish noted that Trump denied these diagnoses for several years. However, a report from The Washington Post pointed out that members of the family, including Robert Trump, the President-elect's brother, noticed their father's health decline. 

During those years, Fred became increasingly frustrated and erratic. The situation got so bad that medical professionals advised his wife not to share a bed with him. "He would scream, and I witnessed this," Trump's nephew, Fred C. Trump III, told People. It took Trump many years to eventually confirm that his father was indeed suffering from dementia, indicating that he didn't fully grapple with the magnitude of his father's condition and even mocked it. This may explain why he casually poked fun at Biden's cognitive health during the campaign.

Even though Donald Trump didn't talk about his father's health for many years and didn't want to believe that his father was suffering from such a cognitive disease, a member of the Trump family believes that the 47th President of the United States has exhibited similar symptoms. In an interview with People, Trump's nephew, Fred C. Trump III, claimed that Donald Trump's behavior reminds him of other family members who have faced notable health struggles. "Like anyone else, I've seen his decline. But I see it in parallel with the way my grandfather's decline was," Fred C. Trump III said.

On the other hand, Trump's nephew made it clear that his grandfather was not the only one who encountered cognitive problems. According to him, one of Trump's cousins was also diagnosed with dementia. Additionally, he suggested that Donald's late sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, exhibited similar traits before her demise.

Certain moments during the election campaign raised questions about his cognitive decline. According to experts, his rambling speeches are an indication that Donald Trump might be suffering from dementia, per Newsweek. However, Trump has bristled at reports of his decline in memory. He believes that he is fine, and boasted about passing two cognitive tests with flying colors.