Trump’s Nephew Claims the Former President is Suffering from Dementia

As Election Day approaches, revelations from Donald Trump’s nephew, Fred Trump III, cast an unsettling shadow over the former president’s cognitive health, drawing stark comparisons to a family history marked by dementia.

Fred Trump, the son of Donald’s late brother, Fred Trump Jr., is breaking his silence on a sensitive topic often swept under the rug in the Trump family — a history of cognitive decline that he believes may now be manifesting in his uncle.

“I see his decline,” Fred says bluntly. “It’s similar to the way my grandfather declined.” In an exclusive interview, Fred, now 61, shared with PEOPLE his observations of behaviors in Donald that he finds hauntingly familiar. “If anyone wants to believe that dementia did not run in the Trump family, it’s just not true,” he insists.

According to Fred, Donald’s cognitive slip-ups — from misnaming world leaders to increasingly slurred speeches — mirror the cognitive descent of Donald’s father, Frederick Christ Trump Sr. The elder Trump was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in the 1980s, and according to Fred, his grandfather’s symptoms included disorientation and memory loss that led to troubling behaviors. “He would just get out of the car and start walking away,” Fred recalls. “It was like a norm for us. We’d just say, ‘Oh, there goes grandpa again.’”

The Trump campaign, however, has dismissed Fred’s account as “fabricated,” labeling it as “total fake news.” But Fred’s testimony is rich with unsettling specifics, pointing to troubling incidents with other family members as well. Donald’s cousin John Walter suffered from dementia, and his sister Maryanne Trump Barry reportedly showed signs of memory loss before her passing last year.

Fred’s insights come as speculation about the cognitive health of political leaders intensifies. While Joe Biden has faced scrutiny over his age and mental clarity, Fred questions why no one is delving into Donald’s family history. “People throw diagnoses at Biden and Donald without considering family history,” Fred says, frustrated. “Why not look at the genetic risks these leaders carry?”

Fred paints a vivid picture of his grandfather’s decline — a slow and agonizing journey that impacted the entire family. He recalls how his grandmother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, struggled to care for her husband, describing it as “the 36-hour day.” Fred recounts the advice given to his grandmother by doctors: “They warned her not to stay in the same bedroom with him because his agitation and temper were getting dangerous.”

This behavior, Fred suggests, was less about physical violence than a “viciousness” in language and manner. He remembers witnessing Frederick Trump Sr. screaming at his wife over trivial expenses. “He’d yell at her about spending, even though money was no issue,” Fred says, adding, “It just escalated, and it was terrifying for the family.”

Fred’s concerns about his uncle’s recent behavior are magnified by a series of interactions that left him uneasy. In one instance, Fred recalls an encounter with Donald at Mar-a-Lago in 2023. “He just looked disoriented,” Fred says, remembering how Donald repeated himself several times. “It was different. He seemed… tired, like something had changed.”

Adding to the alarm, Fred describes a noticeable shift in Donald’s language. “Donald has always cursed,” Fred says. “But now it’s just outright nastiness, no inhibitions whatsoever.” This growing crudeness, he believes, points to a diminishing filter that could indicate cognitive decline.

Fred also recalls a telling moment when Donald met his son William, who lives with complications from a rare genetic mutation. When Fred’s wife, Lisa, explained William’s condition, Donald’s response was dismissive and chilling. “Not our genes,” Donald reportedly replied, refusing to acknowledge any hereditary flaws in the family.

For Fred, this denial has long been a troubling hallmark of his uncle. He recalls how Donald has historically downplayed any issues of mental health in the family, projecting a façade of perfection that Fred believes is more about self-preservation. “If he admitted my grandfather had dementia, he’d be admitting there’s a chance he could have it too,” Fred says. “That’s a door he won’t open.”

This refusal to acknowledge potential cognitive decline is especially concerning as Donald remains a prominent political figure. Fred worries about the implications for a president displaying signs of cognitive lapses. He contrasts his grandfather’s condition with the stakes of a potential second term for Donald: “My grandfather’s biggest risk was roaming the house at 2 a.m., maybe yelling at my grandmother,” Fred says. “But Donald’s decisions could impact the entire world.”

Fred’s words resonate with a grim sense of warning as he reflects on the possibility of his uncle returning to the Oval Office. The potential consequences of a cognitively impaired president, he suggests, are not something America can afford to ignore.