President Donald Trump appears to be in the midst of a “slow decline” that could end with a surprising figure ascending to power, according to one expert.
Questions have swirled about the president’s health throughout his second administration. He’s been spotted with bruising on his hands on several occasions, and has been photographed with swollen ankles, which some experts have said are signs of a heart condition. Trump’s mental health has also been called into question as the president has admitted to taking multiple cognitive exams.
David Rothkopf, global affairs columnist for The Daily Beast, argued during a new episode of “The Daily Beast Podcast” with host Joanna Coles that Trump’s decline could end with Stephen Miller, his deputy chief of staff, gaining power rather than Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as many have predicted.
“Power flows from the president, from the people closest to the president, from the people who control his schedule, from the people who send out his statements,” Rothkopf said, noting that Vance has been conspicuously absent during many such events.
Rothkopf also noted that there are historical precedents for a president handing off their duties to aides. He pointed to former President Dwight Eisenhower’s heart attacks and Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s heart condition.
“And I’ve got to tell you, you look at Donald Trump, you look at the bruises, you look at his behavior, you look at his age, you look at his family history, and we could be heading for one of these periods where somebody other than Trump is actually, behind the scenes, the acting president,” Rothkopf said.