Mary Trump, a clinical psychologist and niece of President Donald Trump, is publicly raising alarm over what she describes as her uncle’s “rapid decline” in mental and cognitive abilities. Speaking on her YouTube platform, the 60-year-old accused the president of exhibiting “cognitive, emotional, and psychological deterioration” in recent months.
The relationship between Mary and her uncle has long been strained. As the daughter of Fred Trump Jr.—Donald Trump’s late elder brother—Mary has spoken about her family’s lack of support after her father’s death. In 2020, she sued the president and other relatives, alleging she was improperly disinherited. The case was dismissed, but the legal battle exposed deep family divisions.
Mary’s 2020 bestseller, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man, chronicled her version of Donald Trump’s life story, offering unflattering details about his personality and upbringing.
Now, Mary argues that recent public behavior supports her claim of decline. She pointed to the president’s unusual appearance on the White House roof, where he moved restlessly and, when asked about construction activity, responded with “missiles” while mimicking a launch. “Every single day, it appears Donald Trump is losing it,” she said.
She also cited the Trump administration’s proposal to develop a lunar nuclear reactor as an example of “compromised impulse control,” calling it an arbitrary idea lacking rational consideration. “We cannot ignore this any longer,” she said. “This poses danger. We have a president positioned on the White House roof without justification, discussing lunar nuclear reactors.”
Mary further criticized a CNBC interview in which Trump claimed Texas was “entitled to five additional seats” in the House of Representatives because he won the state. She argued the statement revealed “fundamental ignorance” of how government works, since seat allocation is determined by census data, not election outcomes. “Trump fails to comprehend governmental mechanics, even during his second presidency,” she said.
She also referenced an Olympic-themed press conference where Trump confused Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with professional golfer Kristi Kerr, suggesting such slips reflect declining cognitive function. Additionally, she mocked his reaction to the nickname “TACO” (“Trump Always Chickens Out”), which critics coined in response to his trade and tariff policies.
“I frequently question whether he understands his temporal and spatial positioning, because often he appears completely disoriented,” Mary said. “This situation requires no accommodation from us.”
Mary’s critics note she has no direct access to her uncle’s medical records and relies solely on public appearances for her assessments. The White House has dismissed her claims, saying a recent medical evaluation found “no mental state irregularities.”