Author Says Trump Exhibited 'Severe Memory Issues' | HuffPost Latest News

An author who interviewed Donald Trump extensively after his departure from the White House said the former president demonstrated severe memory issues during their meetings.

Ramin Setoodeh, a co-editor-in-chief at Variety, appeared on MSNBC s Morning Joe Monday to discuss his new book, Apprentice in Wonderland.

Setoodeh said he interviewed Trump in person six times for the book, starting in 2021.

Over the weekend, Trump called on President Joe Biden to take a cognitive test, and then proceeded to repeatedly misremember the name of the physician who administered the test to him during his presidency. That doctor, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), is now a staunch Trump ally in Congress.

Pointing to the weekend incident, Setoodah commented, Donald Trump had severe memory issues.

As the journalist who spent the most time with him, I have to say he couldnt remember things, he said. He couldnt even remember me.

\"I got to know Donald Trump post-presidency... and Trump had severe memory issues. As the journalist who spent the most time with him, he couldn't remember things, he couldn't even remember me.\"

@RaminSetoodeh on interviewing Trump for his book, 'Apprentice in Wonderland' pic.twitter.com/yUnxZ5K5QR

Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) June 17, 2024","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Morning Joe","author_url":"https://twitter.com/Morning_Joe","cache_age":86400,"description":"\"I got to know Donald Trump post-presidency... and Trump had severe memory issues. As the journalist who spent the most time with him, he couldn't remember things, he couldn't even remember me.\" @RaminSetoodeh on interviewing Trump for his book, 'Apprentice in Wonderland' pic.twitter.com/yUnxZ5K5QR Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) June 17, 2024\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Morning Joe on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/Morning_Joe/status/1802696036302868803","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"667169c7e4b08889dbe6233f","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/trump-severe-memory-issues_n_667169c7e4b08889dbe6233f","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,@us_huffpost_now","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/1772c94a-04aa-4f0c-b5be-e57b1c884041/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":3},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"667169c7e4b08889dbe6233f","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

"I got to know Donald Trump post-presidency... and Trump had severe memory issues. As the journalist who spent the most time with him, he couldn't remember things, he couldn't even remember me."

@RaminSetoodeh on interviewing Trump for his book, 'Apprentice in Wonderland' pic.twitter.com/yUnxZ5K5QR
Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) June 17, 2024

The author said he and Trump spoke for an hour in May 2021. A few months later, when he returned to Trump Tower in Manhattan for another interview, Trump had this vacant look on his face, he added.

He had no recollection of our lengthy interview that we had, and he wasnt doing a lot of interviews at that time, he continued. So I think that the American public really needs to see this portrait of Donald Trump.

The Trump campaign dismissed the claims about his memory.

President Trump was aware of who this individual was throughout the interview process, but this writer is a nobody and insignificant so of course he never made an impression, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement, per Forbes .

After recognizing the importance of The Apprentice and its significant cultural impact on a global scale, this writer has now chosen to allow Trump Derangement Syndrome to rot his brain like so many other losers whose entire existence revolves around President Trump, he continued.

Setoodeh said he and the former president spent hours in the boardroom at Trump Tower rewatching old clips from The Apprentice for the book, which, according to a synopsis, brings to light the never-fully-told, behind-the-scenes story of the reality series that catapulted [Trump] to the White House.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

According to Setoodeh, the interviews also painted a picture of a former president with a desire for revenge, fixation on famous people, and dangerous knack for captivating an audience.