Those close to Trump claim he is mentally unstable
From anonymous op-eds to White House aides and Republican senators, many of those that have spent time with the president have suggested he is not stable.
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Context
"It's pointless to try to convince him of anything. He's gone off the rails. We're in Crazytown. I don't even know why any of us are here. This is the worst job I've ever had."
This isn't a quote from Donald Trump's political opponents or psychological professionals who have only seen the president on TV, it is from General John Kelly, his former Chief of Staff who interacted with the president every day.[1]
The Argument
Anonymous White House officials have called Dr. Bandy X. Lee, the author of 'The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump', and expressed their sincere concerns over the president's mental state.[2]
An anonymous New York Times oped from someone in the Trump administration echoed these concerns and revealed the daily struggle of dealing with the president.[3]
In Michael Wolff’s book, White House officials revealed that Trump can sometimes repeat the same story just minutes after telling it. There were also reports that he was unable to recognize the faces of old friends at his Mar al Lago resort in Florida.[4]
The people that come into contact with Donald Trump on a daily basis are reporting highly erratic and dangerous behaviour. Even those from his own party are putting their necks out and going on record expressing their concerns. Senator Bob Corker called the White House, "an adult day care centre," and Jeb Bush said he believed the president needs therapy.[5]
Counter arguments
None of these people are psychiatrists or mental health professionals. They are not trained to offer a professional opinion of the president's mental health. Therefore, their testimony does not surmount to proof that the president is suffering from mental illness.
When Trump was evaluated by a trained professional, he found him to be in perfect health. This is the only professional evaluation he has had so far, and therefore, should be the only concrete evidence used in determining his mental state.
Proponents
Premises
[P1] Those closest to the president who work with him daily believe he is suffering from mental illness.
[P2] Therefore, he is probably suffering from mental illness.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P1] None of these people are medical professionals.
[Rejecting P2] Therefore, it is not reasonable to use their testimony to reach a conclusion on Trump's mental health.
References
- https://www.sbs.com.au/news/we-re-in-crazytown-key-quotes-from-woodward-book-nyt-trump-column
- https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/09/trump-mental-health-bandy-lee-psychiatrist.html
- https://tonic.vice.com/en_us/article/pa8k9k/thousands-of-mental-health-professionals-agree-trump-is-dangerous
- https://tonic.vice.com/en_us/article/pa8k9k/thousands-of-mental-health-professionals-agree-trump-is-dangerous
- https://theintercept.com/2019/02/21/why-wont-the-media-discuss-trumps-mental-instability/