In a recent televised discussion, former Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd suggested that President Donald Trump might be experiencing cognitive decline comparable to that of former President Joe Biden. Todd’s remarks implied that the media should scrutinize Trump’s mental fitness with the same intensity applied to Biden.
British journalist and commentator Piers Morgan, who has known Trump for over two decades, firmly rejected this comparison. Morgan asserted that Trump remains as mentally sharp and engaged as ever, stating, “He’s exactly the same guy now as he was when I first met him.” He emphasized that Trump’s public presence and engagement have remained consistent, both during his first term in office and since his return.
Morgan contrasted this with what he described as a noticeable decline in Biden’s public appearances and cognitive abilities during the early years of his administration. He noted, “Biden changed dramatically between 2021 and 2023. By 2024, he was practically invisible. Trump, meanwhile, has been one of the most accessible presidents we’ve had.”
These comments come amid renewed media efforts to scrutinize Trump’s health as he enters the second year of his second term in office. The discussion follows a growing body of reporting and recently published books acknowledging that mainstream media outlets failed to cover signs of Biden’s cognitive decline in real-time during his presidency.
Some journalists have since admitted they overlooked or downplayed the issue, and critics argue it was out of political alignment rather than journalistic oversight. These admissions have led to scrutiny of the media’s role in shaping public perception and failing to vet the sitting president’s health, especially in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
Several accounts published in recent months have detailed how signs of Biden’s decline were dismissed internally by campaign aides and media figures despite mounting concerns. Some reporters have described it as a deliberate “cover-up.”
The situation has revived criticism of the national press corps for downplaying or ignoring critical developments, including the handling of the Russia collusion allegations and the suppression of Biden-related stories that surfaced during his administration.
Conservatives argue that the legacy press routinely framed political narratives to favor Democrats while discrediting Republican leaders, particularly Trump. “The media buried the Biden story because it was politically inconvenient,” one network editor familiar with internal discussions said on background. “There’s no excuse for not covering the president’s health honestly.”
Chuck Todd’s recent remarks follow a pattern of commentators attempting to deflect growing criticism of the press by redirecting scrutiny toward Trump. However, Morgan’s response underscores the challenges facing media outlets now reckoning with prior coverage decisions.
“There’s no evidence that Trump’s behavior has changed in a way that indicates cognitive decline,” Morgan added during the exchange. “If anything, he’s just as sharp, combative, and opinionated as he was before. You may not like it, but it’s not mental deterioration.”
No direct evidence has been presented to suggest that Trump is experiencing cognitive health issues. Trump has continued to hold public events, conduct interviews, and engage regularly on social media. By contrast, Biden’s increasingly limited visibility during the final year of his presidency, and revelations about internal concerns from within the administration, have fueled bipartisan calls for greater transparency about presidential health.
As the media revisits its coverage of both leaders, comparisons like Todd’s are expected to continue sparking strong responses, particularly from figures like Morgan who maintain long-standing familiarity with the president.
