Donald Trump is “haunted” by the fear that he might suffer the same cognitive decline that affected his father, Fred Trump, who died in 1999 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Timothy L. O’Brien, senior editor at Bloomberg Opinion, said on MSNBC that Trump, who has expressed a desire for a third presidential term—which the U.S. Constitution prohibits—is motivated more by self-preservation or self-aggrandizement than reality.

O’Brien noted that Trump, now 78 and approaching 79, looks significantly aged, and his health—especially his fear of mental decline—may be a bigger obstacle to a third term than voters or legal barriers. Trump fears following his father’s path, who, despite being diagnosed with dementia in 1991, continued working until late in life. Friends and family describe Fred Trump as someone who kept going until the day he was hospitalized.

However, Donald Trump rarely speaks publicly about this fear, especially since he has often mocked President Joe Biden’s mental fitness. O’Brien pointed out that those close to Trump have noticed changes in his speech, posture, and energy, which seem drained. He added that Trump’s enthusiasm for the job has diminished, except that it keeps him in the spotlight and out of legal trouble.

In an interview with People magazine, Trump’s cousin Fred C. Trump III shared similar concerns about signs of mental decline in the former president, saying they closely resemble the way their grandfather deteriorated. He stated, “Anyone claiming dementia isn’t in the Trump family is ignoring the truth.”

So, while Trump continues to face legal and political obstacles to a third term, his health remains a major concern for those around him and political observers alike.