Thanksgiving is meant to be a day of pause—a moment carved out from the year’s chaos for reflection, gratitude, and communal peace. Yet, for many Americans, this year’s holiday was disturbed not by the typical family squabbles, but by a disturbing public display of self-absorption and political volatility from President Donald Trump. What was intended as a festive check-in with our nation’s service members rapidly descended into a bizarre, hour-long tirade that was uncomfortable for everyone involved, raising profound questions not only about his temperament but also his capacity for empathy and his current cognitive state.

The core of the controversy stems from a series of highly erratic statements made by Trump during his holiday calls with members of the U.S. military and his subsequent interactions with the press. Rather than offering the simple, heartfelt expressions of thanks expected on such an occasion, Trump repeatedly hijacked the conversation, pivoting every discussion point back to his personal grievances, electoral successes, and even his golf game. The immediate, jarring contrast between the solemnity of the national moment and the petty narcissism of his remarks has become a focal point of concern among political commentators and the public alike.

The Egomania of a National Tragedy

The first major sign that this was not a normal holiday address came when a reporter, referencing the recent tragic deaths of National Guard members in a devastating DC shooting incident, asked Trump if he planned to attend the service members’ funerals. This was a direct question requiring a simple answer: yes, no, or a commitment to considering it.

Trump’s response was immediate, circuitous, and stunningly self-centered: he refused to commit to attending the funerals. He acknowledged the raw nature of the event, yet instead of offering condolences, he immediately shifted the focus onto himself and his electoral record. “I haven’t thought about it yet, but it certainly is something I could conceive of,” he began, before quickly adding, “I love West Virginia. You know I won West Virginia by one of the biggest margins of any president anywhere. And it’s you know these are great people. I love the people of West Virginia…”

In a moment that demanded gravitas, respect, and a single-minded focus on the sacrifice of others, Trump injected his ego. The deaths of two service members became a prompt for a personal victory lap, a recitation of his own popularity, and a boast about the size of his winning margin. This inability to separate personal self-aggrandizement from a national tragedy exemplifies the defining critique of his leadership: the seemingly impossible task of enduring a singular moment that is not about Donald Trump. The desperate need for affirmation, the perpetual performance, and the refusal to offer genuine, unvarnished empathy were never more starkly visible.

A Bizarre Address to the Troops: Golf Scores and Grievances

If the response to the tragedy was merely self-serving, the subsequent address to the troops was outright bizarre. The service members, taking time away from their own families and holiday celebrations, were subjected to an uncomfortable monologue that had nothing to do with their service or readiness, and everything to do with Trump’s petty grievances and personal achievements.

While speaking to the members of a squadron, he started complaining about the perceived limitations of “politically correct” language in modern America. He lamented the fact that certain terms, such as “Indian,” are no longer used, even suggesting, without evidence, that “the only one that wants you to are the Indians.” This was followed by a complaint about the squadron’s motto, “Chop,” implying that this, too, was under threat from cultural sensitivity.

Yet, the true nadir of the conversation was his lengthy digression into his performance on the golf course. Trump, in front of men and women who risk their lives for the country, chose to brag about his short game, his low handicap, and his 38 club championships. “I won one last year,” he boasted, describing in detail how he beat a “27-year-old kid.” “I said the fairway doesn’t know how old you are as you walk up the middle and he’s in the rough,” Trump proudly recalled, treating the conversation as an unsolicited and deeply out-of-place opportunity to settle a score and validate his physical prowess.

No service member wants to hear their commander-in-chief engage in such an awkward, self-aggrandizing display on a day meant to honor them. It was disturbing, weird, and uncomfortable, transforming a supposed tribute into a self-imposed monument to his own accomplishments and grievances, prioritizing an inflated golf score over the quiet dignity of military sacrifice.

The Lashing Out: A Reporter, A Lie, and the “Stupid” Insult

The climax of the day’s unrest came during the Q&A session with reporters, where Trump was caught in a clear contradiction, leading to an explosive and deeply disturbing reaction.

The question concerned the suspect in the tragic DC shooting, who had reportedly been granted asylum in the U.S. The reporter pointed out the apparent hypocrisy: Trump had been attacking the Biden administration for its vetting processes regarding the suspect, yet the individual’s asylum had been processed during Trump’s own time in office.

Trump’s defense was a masterclass in deflection and hostile incoherence. He first tried to minimize the issue by suggesting the suspect simply “went cuckoo,” saying it “happens too often with these people.” He then immediately pivoted back to attacking the current administration and, more broadly, the Afghan and Somali immigrant communities, claiming “so many bad ones came in… unvetted.” This, despite the reporter correctly citing a Department of Justice Inspector General report confirming thorough vetting had, in fact, been carried out by DHS and the FBI.

Cornered by the facts, Trump did what he does best: he lashed out. He repeatedly called the reporter “stupid,” using the epithet with a slurring, aggressive tone that suggested a complete loss of control. “Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?” he screamed, demanding to know why the reporter would ask such a question. This unhinged outburst, directed at a member of the press for simply performing their duty, was a desperate attempt to bulldoze the truth with sheer aggression, confirming his inability to handle even minor public challenges without resorting to hostility.

The Underlying Concern: Cognitive Decline

Beyond the self-serving political comments and the outright hostility, a deeper, more troubling thread wove through the entire day’s performance: the persistent concern over Donald Trump’s cognitive decline.

Commentators have increasingly argued that Trump’s increasingly erratic behavior, his radicalized policy positions, his constant lashing out, and the growing incoherence in his speech are not just political posturing, but symptoms of mental deterioration. He appears more extreme, more out of control, and less capable of self-regulation than ever before. The slurring of his words, the impulsive, non-sequitur pivots, and the inability to maintain a logically coherent argument when pressed all fuel the narrative that he is mentally deteriorating.

While Trump has always been an angry, demanding figure, the recent episodes suggest that the checks and balances within his own mind—never robust to begin with—have now frayed significantly. His impulses, as seen in the shocking decision to spend a holiday address talking about golf while ignoring a national tragedy, are demonstrably out of whack. If the nation’s president or a serious candidate for the office is mentally deteriorating, it is not merely a political talking point; it is an urgent matter of national security and public concern.

The events of Thanksgiving serve as a grim reminder that independent media and conscientious journalism must continue to push back and hold this level of volatility accountable. In an era where mainstream outlets may tire of relentless coverage, the duty falls to those who recognize that the constant need for personal validation, the ceaseless projection of anger, and the frightening rhetorical aggression are not normal. The day was not a success; it was a breakdown, a disturbing look behind the curtain at a man whose public behavior is becoming increasingly unmanageable, toxic, and dangerous. The golf scores are forgotten, but the disturbing words and the public loss of control will echo long past the holiday season.