Trump showing unusual new signs of exhaustion: White House veteran

President Donald Trump attends a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., December 2, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

As he scales back his rally efforts and chooses a questionable venue for his final address before the midterms, President Donald Trump seems to be showing signs of exhaustion and depleted stamina that he never did before, according to one veteran White House correspondent.

During a Monday MS NOW broadcast, the network's new chief White House correspondent, Paula Reid — who previously covered the White House for CBS News from the start of Trump's presidency — spoke with host Peter Alexander and the president's closing argument on the eve of the midterms. Noting that both she and Alexander had considerable experience covering Trump, Reid said that there was a notable shift in his energy, as his considerable well of stamina appears to have dried up.

"Peter, you and I have coveredthe president for a long time," Reid said. "This is a man that, despite hisage, despite the demands of hisjob, he has a lot of stamina.So, surprising to hear himcomplain over the past few daysabout his voice, about howtired he was, about having to doall this travel."

Reid noted further that this exhaustion most likely explains Trump's decision to hold his final address prior to the midterms at the Lincoln Memorial, near the Reflecting Pool.

"So I guessit's not surprising that hewould be here," Reid said. "But it's got tobe disappointing to his party...even [with] conservative strongholds like Texas hangingin the balance. I think, Peter,we know that there are novoters in the state of Michiganwho are going to cast theirballot based on the conditionof the grass at the Reflecting Pool."

Elsewhere in the segment, Alexander noted to Reid that it was a questionable choice of venue to pitch voters on his ongoing agenda, given how the botched renovation of the Reflecting Pool had become a symbol for Trump's wasteful spending and incompetence. Reid suggested that the decision was likely done, in part, to help Trump escape to a "safe space."

"This is,how do you say, not in linewith American priorities. Whatis the thinking behind thescenes?" Alexander asked.

"Arguably it's not inline with his own priorities, right?" Reid said. "He has so much at stakethis week. He has governedlargely unchecked by Congress.And depending on how thiselection goes, he has an administration, his allies, hisown family, [who] could facesignificant oversight. So, it isodd he is choosing to spendthis, the last day beforetomorrow, at the Reflecting Pool.He went on in that Q&A withreporters to talk quiteextensively about the grass andhow much it has improved... We haveseen the president repeatedlysort of retreat to this spacerenovation and constructionwhen things aren't going well.That's sort of his safe space.This is the identity he had, ofcourse, before he went intopolitics."

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