President Donald Trump made a rare appearance at a Pennsylvania event on Tuesday to convince voters of his economic agenda, but according to one Republican strategist, his "meandering" speech only showed that his "confusion and mental weakness" are getting worse.
Trump's Pennsylvania speech was part of an effort by the GOP to have Trump campaign more for the party ahead of the 2026 midterms, where they face strong headwinds from Democrats over voter discontent over affordability. Trump is also attempting to convince voters that his economic agenda remains sound, and that concerns about the cost of living are a "con job" against him by his political enemies.
The speech on Tuesday might have done more damage, according to GOP insider and Hacks on Tap podcast co-host Mike Murphy, by highlighting another major issue turning voters away from him: his advanced age.
"A few hours after we discussed on [Hacks on Tap] why Trump has cut back rallies so much, it was pretty evident at his event today in PA just why,” Murphy wrote in a post to X on Wednesday. “Meandering, more confusion and mental weakness than usual,” he went on. “Even a bit shall we say, low-energy. Weaker optics too. He’s clearing [sic] fading.”
Murphy previously worked as a strategist for prominent Republicans like John McCain, Jeb Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In a report about the Tuesday speech, The Daily Beast observed that "Trump suffered from slowed speech, trouble finding his words, repetition and veering off on wild tangents — all signs that mental health experts have lately pointed to as evidence he is clearly feeling his age."
Trump has lashed out against the increasing press coverage of his seemingly deteriorating physical state. In a late-night Truth Social posting spree after his Pennsylvania visit, he accused a New York Times article on the topic of being "seditious" and potentially "treasonous." He also claimed to have passed more cognitive tests than any other president, and also seemed to describe a recent test as being monitored by a roomful of doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center, all of which raised more alarms than it quieted.
"I guess the president just announced he recently took his latest in a series of cognitive tests, this one in front of a room full of medical personnel observing him?" MS NOW host Chris Hayes wrote in a post to social media.
A few hours after we discussed on @HacksOnTap why Trump has cut back rallies so much, it was pretty evident at his event today in PA just why. Meandering, more confusion and mental weakness than usual. Even a bit shall we say, low-energy. Weaker optics too. He’s clearing fading.
— Mike Murphy (@murphymike) December 10, 2025