Donald Trump's niece, Mary Trump, has warned that the US president is in a 'downward health spiral', describing his 'decaying' condition as no longer ignorable at a moment when America's military stands humiliated by Iran. In her weekly newsletter, Mary Trump pointed to Trump's erratic behaviour, late-night posting sprees and the flailing Iran peace deal, writing: 'He may still have moments when he appears more coherent, but psychologically he's in a downward spiral. He's experiencing constant narcissistic injuries, and nothing terrifies Donald more than humiliation.' The White House pushed back sharply. Spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed Mary Trump as a 'stone-cold loser who doesn't have a clue about anything'.
The Iran peace deal she referenced has unravelled into open conflict. On 28 February 2026, a precision strike targeting Iran's leadership killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and other senior figures, as well as wounding the supreme leader's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen since. Iran retaliated with a barrage of ballistic missiles. From 28 February to 20 April, the country launched 1,471 missiles, with 650 aimed at Israel, killing 27 civilians and one off-duty soldier, and injuring some 3,000 others. Hundreds more missiles struck the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – countries that had not attacked Iran. While Iranian missiles were inaccurate, both the US and Israel relied on extreme precision to destroy underground missile assembly plants and rocket fuel depots. Yet the conflict has exposed a crucial weakness: the US is no longer willing to sacrifice soldiers, a factor both critics and supporters of Trump's vague 'deal' avoid mentioning.
“Trump's niece warns of 'downward spiral' as Iran conflict humiliates US military, with White House denying health concerns.”
Trump, who turned 80 in June, has faced mounting questions about his health. In late May, he visited Walter Reed Medical Centre for his third hospital visit in 13 months, undergoing a CT scan, heart imaging, cancer screenings and assessments by 22 specialists. He was declared 'fully fit' and boasted of scoring a perfect 30 on a cognitive test, writing: 'Unlike other US Presidents, none of whom have ever taken an approved, high difficulty, Cognitive Test, I scored a perfect 30 out of 30, considered “extreme intelligence.”' But his behaviour has fuelled concern: he was seen struggling to stay awake during a meeting with Medicare administrator Dr Mehmet Oz in July 2025, and he has repeatedly confused Joe Biden with Barack Obama, and Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi. He also insists that recurring bruising on his hands is from taking 325mg of aspirin daily to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
Trump's social media rants have added to the sense of instability. He recently branded singer Bruce Springsteen a 'dried up prune', urged a boycott of his concerts, and called Stephen Colbert 'like a dead person' after the talk show host ended his CBS programme. Against this backdrop of a president who trades insults with celebrities while his military faces a humiliating standoff, the question of his fitness for office – and his ability to navigate the Iran crisis – grows harder to ignore.