Just Say It: Trump is Unwell
5/20/202614 min
Donald Trump turns 80 next month, but Democrats still seem reluctant to make his age and health a political issue. Sam Stein and Lauren Egan give their takes on the questions about Trump’s bruised hands, dentist visits, public appearances, and why the overall transparency about Trump's health hasn't become a bigger story even after Republicans spent years relentlessly attacking Joe Biden over age and decline. Plus: Sam attempts to test Trump’s concealer explanation himself.
Read more from Lauren's reporting: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/democrats-trump-aging-elderly-very-old-hands-makeup
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSam Stein· Host0:00
Hey, everyone. It's me, Sam Stein, managing editor of The Bulwark. I'm here with Lauren Egan, and we're here to talk about her new newsletter about Democrats, Trump's health, and why are they not doing more with it. Lauren, thanks for joining. Appreciate it. Why are you smiling?
Lauren Egan· Guest0:12
No reason.
Sam Stein· Host0:13
Okay, good. So tell us a bit about- [laughs] ... what the newsletter says. [laughs] Why are you smiling, Lauren?
Lauren Egan· Guest0:19
[laughs] [laughs] Um, my newsletter is about... We- look, we have all seen the signs of Donald Trump growing older.
Sam Stein· Host0:29
Like what?
Lauren Egan· Guest0:29
He turns 80 next month. He has some weird bruising on his hands- Okay ... uh, which we've covered here at The Bulwark. Um- Mm-hmm ... and not only that, he has fallen asleep in the Oval, or appeared to fall asleep in the Oval, I should say.
Sam Stein· Host0:45
That was like an extended blink, I thought.
Lauren Egan· Guest0:47
It w- yes. It's, you know, it's in the eye of the beholder, as they say.
Sam Stein· Host0:51
Yeah.
Lauren Egan· Guest0:52
Um- Okay ... there are a few other things. He's been to the dentist three times so far this year. He had an MRI last year, but didn't really tell us why. It's... He's not transparent about his health, which is obviously not exactly, like, a new thing for presidents. Um, but after Biden, there's b- you know, it's, we have all these questions now. Um, and he is, he's old. Um, but I was interested that Democrats really weren't talking about this a bunch. You know, if the goal here is to make Trump look as weak as possible going into midterms, trying to hit him for some of these things as, you know, painting him to be kind of frail and decaying might be a route you might