Donald Trump’s desire for a third term in the White House has sparked fresh scrutiny—not just over constitutional limits, but over his own physical and cognitive condition. According to political analyst Timothy L. O’Brien, the former president is “haunted” by fears of suffering the same cognitive decline that impacted his father, Fred Trump Sr.
During an appearance on The Weekend: Primetimeon MSNBC, O’Brien—senior executive editor at Bloomberg Opinion—delved into Trump’s recent controversial remarks hinting at a potential third term, despite the clear constitutional limit of two. The analyst, a longtime Trump biographer and critic, offered a candid breakdown of what might really be driving the 78-year-old Republican frontrunner.
“He’d love to live until he’s 300,” O’Brien said. “And he’d probably like to be president for 200 of those years.”
But O’Brien emphasized that Trump isn’t immune to aging. In fact, he noted, physical decline may be one of the greatest barriers standing between the former president and another stint in the Oval Office.
“What struck me, watching that clip, was just how much Donald Trump has aged,” he said. “Yes, there are voters and the 22nd Amendment, but there’s also the reality that he turns 79 in June.”
The U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibits any individual from being elected president more than twice. But O’Brien argued that Trump’s personal health and mental sharpness—especially his fear of losing them—are becoming central concerns.
“He lives in fear of following the same path his father did, from dementia to Alzheimer’s,” O’Brien told viewers. “It’s a burden he’s carried for a long time.”
Fred Trump Sr., the former real estate magnate and patriarch of the Trump family, battled Alzheimer’s for nearly a decade before his death in 1999 at age 93. He was diagnosed in 1991, yet continued to show up at work during the early stages of his decline.
“He came into the office every day until the day he went to the hospital,” recalled longtime family friend Richard Levy.
Trump’s private concerns about mental fitness have been kept largely out of public view—especially considering his repeated attacks on President Joe Biden’s cognitive state. But those who have watched Trump over time say the signs are hard to ignore.
“Compare him now to Trump 1.0,” O’Brien said. “The speech is more slurred, the posture is slouched, the energy seems drained.”
He added,
“I question how much genuine enthusiasm he has left for the job—beyond the fact that it keeps him out of prison and in the spotlight.”
Even Trump’s own relatives have begun to raise concerns. His nephew, Fred C. Trump III, spoke to People last year, saying the changes in his uncle feel eerily familiar.
“Like anyone else, I’ve noticed the shift,” said Fred, now 61. “And I see it unfolding in a way that’s very similar to how my grandfather declined. Anyone claiming dementia isn’t in the Trump family is ignoring the truth.”
Whether or not Trump will actually pursue a third term remains to be seen. But as speculation grows, so too does concern over the impact of age and legacy—both political and personal—on the man who once branded himself unstoppable.
