Resurfaced Vid Of Trump In 2016 Debate Is Making His Cognitive Decline More Obvious Than Ever

There's something new pouring gasoline on Donald Trump's cognitive decline rumors. Interestingly, this time around, it's not because the controversial president just said or did something that has folks questioning his mental faculties. Instead, a reminder of what Trump sounded like a decade ago is prompting newfound concern.

Trump used to talk just like this https://t.co/aNGEkP0YsS pic.twitter.com/cp4GP2zR7p

— a newsman (@a_newsman) February 25, 2026

Sometimes, the 2016 presidential election feels like it was yesterday. In reality, though, Trump's first presidential run was ten years ago. To many of us, Trump's thinking skills seemed questionable back then. Now, though, a clip of his performance in a 2016 debate is making the rounds online, and it puts how much he's changed over the years in stark contrast. 

Regardless of how you interpret Trump's behavior, most of us can surely agree that there's been a major change since his first bid for the White House. Based on how folks are responding to the clip on X, formerly known as Twitter, it's clear that for many netizens, this is particularly damning evidence that the 79-year-old is not who he used to be. As one X-user put it, "It's jarring to see him so cogent and forceful after all these years of watching the decline."

In the clip from a 2016 presidential debate, Donald Trump appears coherent and passionate as he reflects on the U.S. war with Iraq. It's a far cry from the rambling, sometimes difficult to follow, and disjointed thoughts we hear from him today. "Trump used to talk just like this," one X user wrote alongside the clip, marveling at how much he has changed. "It's crazy how fast and normal and sharp he talked and how [he's] completely deteriorated..." commented another. The clip also made some folks think about former President Joe Biden. At 82, he was the oldest U.S. president ever by the end of his tenure. Trump then became the oldest president to be inaugurated at 78. Of course, Trump still frequently attacked Biden for his age. 

"You don't realize how truly senile and demented he's become until you see a video like this," one commenter pointed out on the clip, adding, "Same thing for Biden. You almost forget what they used to sound like. Trump is fading fast." "I still find it crazy how little Trump's obvious mental decline over the past decade is talked about, especially when you consider that he's actually slightly older than Biden was at this point in his presidency," another commenter added. Hearing Trump's rambling speeches often causes concern these days. Hearing how he once sounded, however, somehow sends an even stronger message.