Former U.S. Naval War College professor Tom Nichols wrote in The Atlantic after Donald Trump’s recent address to top military leaders that it’s clear the president is “not okay.”
His reaction echoed similar concerns raised on MSNBC by Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, who told Speaker Mike Johnson that “the president is not well.” Johnson admitted he hadn’t watched Trump’s speech.
Nichols explained that his perspective came not only from watching Trump but also from hearing feedback from people in the room, many of them admirals and generals who had once been his students.
He pointed out that this audience isn’t like a rally crowd where distracted supporters might laugh off rambling comments. These are seasoned military leaders trained to evaluate the person giving them orders.
Nichols recalled a chilling question once asked by a U.S. Air Force nuclear missile officer in 1973: “How can I know that an order I receive to launch my missiles came from a sane president?” That officer lost his career for asking, but Nichols said the question has never felt more relevant.
He emphasized that while he’s not a doctor, his impression was that Trump’s inability to stay focused or coherent went beyond the usual “weird rambling.” “It is some kind of emotional disorder, condition, where he just can’t hold a thought in his head,” he told Nicolle Wallace. Nichols added that Trump’s demeanor and delivery seemed off, and that those listening in uniform were likely taking note in a way rally-goers would not.
Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling backed up that assessment. He said he, too, heard from former colleagues who were disturbed by the speech. Hertling described Trump’s remarks as “disconnected thoughts” and agreed with Nichols that the stakes are higher when addressing a room full of senior military leaders.
He explained that one general he knows is usually meticulous about taking notes during presidential speeches. This time, halfway through, the general put his pen down, recognizing that nothing being said could be passed along as meaningful to his troops.
The sense that Trump is slipping has become harder to ignore. Nichols, now in his sixties, made it personal when he admitted that as “a man of advancing years,” he could tell something wasn’t right with the president.
He said it wasn’t just the physical presentation but a deeper inability to communicate clearly. For military leaders who may one day have to interpret or follow his commands, that kind of uncertainty is unsettling.
The issue of Trump’s mental capacity has hovered in the background for years, often overshadowed by his political fights and rally theatrics. But as Nichols and Hertling point out, when those questions come up in front of the nation’s top brass, they can’t be brushed off so easily.
The moment seemed to highlight that concerns about his stability aren’t just partisan talking points—they are being noticed by the very people who would have to carry out his orders if he were back in command.