Memory loss is a normal, inevitable part of aging due to slower information processing speeds as the human brain gets older.
But significant memory decline—one that interferes with daily life—could indicate a serious condition like dementia that warrants medical evaluation.
Severe memory decline such as:
- forgetting you proposed a new trade agreement—the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)—to replace an existing trade agreement—NAFTA—with your country's closest neighbors—Canada and Mexico—at a G20 Summit in 2018
- forgetting holding a ceremonial signing photo op with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto when you used a Sharpie marker instead of a pen, but were mocked for signing in the wrong place
- forgetting repeatedly tweeting about your great new trade agreement, falsely claiming it would make Mexico pay for your border wall
- forgetting holding another photo op in front of the White House in 2020 when you signed your new trade agreement—USMCA—into law
- forgetting issuing multiple White House announcements about your new trade agreement.
Which is apparently what happened to Republican President Donald Trump during a press conference on Monday. He criticized the existing trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, calling whoever signed it a fool who should be ashamed.
Trump told the press:
"We've been mistreated very badly by many countries, not just Canada and Mexico. We were taken advantage of and led by, in some cases, fools."
"Because anybody that would sign documents like they signed where they were able to take advantage of the American people... anybody that would agree to allow this to happen to our country should be ashamed of themselves."
"This is an abuse that took place for many, many years. And I'm not even blaming the other countries that did this."
Trump continued with his self-recrimination, saying:
"I blame our leadership for allowing this to happen. Who can blame them if they made these great deals with the United States on manufacturing, on just about everything. Every aspect you can imagine, they took advantage of."
"I look at some of these agreements—I'd read them at night—and I'd say, 'Who would sign anything like this?'."
You can watch an excerpt of his memory lapse here:
Trump's remarks quickly got "added context" on X.
"President Donald Trump signed the USMCA, a thing like this specifically addressing trade with Mexico and Canada, in 2020."
The X users' history lesson included a hyperlink to an archived White House statement titled:
"President Donald J. Trump’s United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Delivers a Historic Win for American Workers"
Trump signs USMCA in November 2018 and signs USMCA into law in January 2020@patrickneithard/Bluesky
In January of 2020, the White House's official webpage quoted then 45th President Trump stating:
"The USMCA is the largest, most significant, modern, and balanced trade agreement in history. All of our countries will benefit greatly."
And Trump sang its praises on Twitter in the same month.
To be fair, it was over five years ago and Trump is currently the oldest President ever elected at age 78.
But people weren't cutting him any slack for his apparent memory lapse turned epic self-own.
@chronicallysheeks/Bluesky
@allmykidshavepaws/Bluesky
The White House hasn't officially responded to the 47th President's repeated criticism of the 45th President's trade agreement, yet.
@jessicachastain/Instagram
