Tony Schwartz, co-author of Donald Trump's 1987 memoir "The Art of the Deal," says White House aides are terrified of the president's mental health. Schwartz shadowed and interviewed Trump for 18 months in the 1980s while writing the book, but more recently he has fiercely criticized the septuagenarian since he took office. Now he says at least two White House staffers made calls to someone he knows and trusts to express concern over the president’s mental health.
I know that two different people from the White House ― or at least saying that they were from the White House and that turned out to be a White House number ― have called somebody I know in the last several weeks to say, "We are deeply concerned about his mental health."
Peddling conspiracy theories.
On Wednesday, Schwartz, who is not a doctor, told MSNBC’s host Ari Melber that Trump is “deeply mentally ill" and no longer connected to reality” following reports the billionaire is peddling a series of conspiracy theories during private conversations.
“This is a guy in deep trouble and one of the problems we have right now is that we’re not very sympathetic to the psychological and to the psychiatric community, but that’s who we need to be talking to right now,” said Schwartz.
His comments are in response to reports that Donald Trump began to suggest the infamous Access Hollywood tape, released last year, is fake. “What it means in simple terms is he’s losing his grip on reality,” said Schwartz.
A dramatic change in Trump.
Schwartz went on to describe “a dramatic change” in Trump from when he co-authored the book with him, 30 years ago, to how the president speaks now.
“He is more limited in his vocabulary. He is further from, as I say, this connection to what is factual and real. He is more impulsive. He is more reactive. This is a guy in deep trouble,” said Schwartz.
CNN also questioned the president's competency this week, after he retweeted Islamophobic videos on Wednesday. His temperament, judgment, and his understanding of his actions' reach and effect are all receiving increased scrutiny under a very public microscope.
Professionals have taken notice of his behavior.
Because his tweets and broadcasts are considered public, psychiatrists and mental health professionals are permitted to discuss the president's well being, and they have a lot to say.
The introduction to "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump" reads:
If, on the other hand, we perceive that state power is being abused by an executive who seems to be mentally unstable, then we may certainly speak out, not only as citizens, but also, we would argue, as professionals who are privy to special information and a responsibility to educate the public. For whatever our wisdom and expertise may be worth, surely we are obligated to share it.
A Harvard psychiatrist says "Trump's sociopathy is a threat to the planet."
And mental health experts at a conference at Yale say Donald Trump is paranoid and delusional.
The people of America are NOT shocked.
Seems you don't have to be a professional psychiatrist to know the president is mentally unfit.
For many, this is really old news.
If anything, people are shocked only two White House staffers voiced their concerns.
It is only a matter of time.
The greater surprise, too quickly becoming the unfortunate norm, is that Trump is still in the White House.
For the past year, Schwartz said that it is only a matter of time before either resignation or impeachment happens. In May he told CNN that Trump will be looking for a way to resign, and in August he claimed that Trump's presidency is effectively over. In case the president is having trouble of thinking of a good excuse, Schwartz has one to propose:
"Trump plainly should resign based on the TWENTY women who have accused him of sexual misconduct."
Others hope this could be cause for impeachment.
Then again, a good con man is wise enough to know when the gig is up. Such a con man could play up the insanity for a get out of jail free card.
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h/t: New Yorker, Twitter, CNN, Psychology Today, New York Times, HuffPost
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