The Daily Beast Podcast This Is How Trump Goons Exploit His Mental Decline
18 snips
Jan 13, 2026 
David Rothkopf, a former Clinton administration official and foreign-policy commentator, joins Joanna Coles to dissect Trump's cognitive decline and how aides like Stephen Miller exploit it for extreme policies. They highlight the shifting political landscape, where immigration is becoming a liability, and GOP distancing is evident. The conversation ventures into 2026 insanity, the cultural significance of the Melania movie, and the dangers posed by Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. It’s a sharp, insightful look at today's turbulent political climate.
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Mental Decline Enables Rapid Policy Hijacks
- David Rothkopf argues Trump's cognitive decline lets aides push extreme policies faster than before.
- He warns advisers exploit Trump's attention gaps to advance radical agendas at high speed.
Note-Feeding Example In Oil Meeting
- David Rothkopf recounts Marco Rubio folding a note and Trump reading it aloud in a meeting with oil executives.
- The anecdote shows aides literally feeding Trump prompts that he then parrots publicly.
Sycophants Replace Checks On Power
- Rothkopf highlights aides proposing extreme moves (e.g., Greenland, shutting the Fed) while Trump passively accepts.
- He says lack of internal checks converts Trump's weakness into policy acceleration.
