Donald Trump's Confusion and 'Seizure-Like' Are Not Getting Better, Psychologist Warns

Clinical and forensic psychologist John Paul Garrison questioned US President Donald Trump's movements during a White House event on 19 October 2026.

He described some movements as 'seizure-like' and separately criticised the US president's remarks at a Kentucky rally two days earlier. Garrison has not examined Trump, and his observations do not establish a medical diagnosis.

The White House appearance centred on a women's health initiative championed by First Lady Melania Trump. Trump signed an executive order directing the creation of a women's health division at the National Institutes of Health. It also established a White House task force to coordinate women's health efforts.

Garrison, who analyses public figures on his YouTube channel, has repeatedly raised concerns about Trump's behaviour. His latest assessment, quoted in an AlterNet report, relies on public recordings rather than medical tests or access to the president's health records.

What Garrison Said About Donald Trump's White House Movements

Garrison focused on movements he believed he observed across different parts of Trump's body during the 19 October ceremony. He suggested they resembled seizure activity, an interpretation that has not been clinically confirmed.

'I've shown something very similar a couple of times before where we saw activity go from his right arm to his eyes to his mouth to his left arm,' Garrison said.

The psychologist was explicit about a crucial limitation. 'Now, obviously, I have not personally evaluated President Trump,' he acknowledged. He nevertheless discussed possible neurological explanations, including conditions associated with stroke and vascular dementia.

The recordings have not established either condition. Observing a movement, or replaying it slowly, does not show what caused it.

Garrison also noted what he described as faster speech following the movements. Elsewhere in the footage, he suggested that periods when Trump closed his eyes could represent 'microsleeps.' Those are his interpretations, not independently verified medical findings.

The Epilepsy Foundation explains that identifying seizures can require a patient's history, clinical assessment and appropriate testing. Public footage may help document an event but cannot, by itself, establish a diagnosis.

Medical information is on the record. In a memorandum released on 29 May, presidential physician Sean Barbabella reported that Trump's neurological examination was normal. The assessment, performed on 26 May, recorded a score of 30 out of 30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

That report offers a clinical assessment, but it predates the October appearances. It should neither be presented as a response to Garrison nor used to diagnose the movements he identified.

Donald Trump's Kentucky Rally Raises a Separate Accuracy Question

At Truist Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky, on 17 October, Trump criticised former President Joe Biden while campaigning ahead of the midterm elections. He recounted an alleged incident in which Biden confused Maine with Florida.

'Remember, remember Biden? It's great to be in Florida. And he was in Maine,' Trump said, according to the rally transcript. He also mentioned palm trees as he continued the anecdote.

The transcript confirms what Trump said, not whether Biden ever made the mistake described. Garrison questioned the story and said he could not locate the supposed incident despite searching for it.

'What he's talking about makes no sense because I've researched this,' Garrison said. He also criticised Trump's delivery, saying the president appeared to trail off while discussing Biden.

An unsupported political anecdote and a suspected medical episode are different matters. A speech can be checked against other recordings and transcripts. Determining whether someone has a neurological disorder requires clinical evidence.

No White House response to Garrison's specific latest comments has been independently verified. The May physician's memorandum reported normal neurological findings, but it did not examine the later appearances.

The questions therefore remain distinct. We can assess Trump's Kentucky comments against the available record, while Garrison's interpretation of his physical movements remains an unconfirmed opinion. Neither the rally remarks nor the White House footage, on its own, establishes neurological decline.