While the official narrative from theWhite Houseinsists that Washington is thriving under the second Trump administration, a far gloomier picture is emerging from behind the scenes. Veteran correspondents and insiders returning to the capital have noted a distinct lack of vitality, not just in the city's corridors, but emanating from the President himself.
Brian Karem, the White House columnist forSalon, has issued a stark observation thatDonald Trump appears to be fading from public view, sparking fresh concerns that the Commander-in-Chief is arguably 'sicker than he lets on'.
Upon returning to the political fray this week, Karem described a palpable shift in the atmosphere of Washington DC, contradicting the President's boasts of a booming metropolis. Instead, the columnist found 'a city without its energy', a lethargy that seems to mirror the man in charge.
'And while the District seems worn out, Trump seems more so,' Karem observed in his latest column. 'It doesn't even seem like the president is trying his hardest to lie to us anymore. He just repeats the same lies with less energy, as if he, too, has grown weary of his rhetoric. He is urging us to move past the Epstein scandal. But he's on that next page too.'
This observation aligns with whispers circulating amongst the DC press corps. Following recent hearings, Karem noted that his colleagues are beginning to suspect that thePresident's reduced scheduleis not merely a strategic choice. 'I think he's running out of steam,' one insider confessed during a happy hour debrief on Wednesday. 'Or he's really sicker than he lets on.'
The change in the President's behaviour was most evident during high-stakes diplomatic engagements this week. On Wednesday, President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—a visit that, in previous years, would have been accompanied by a bombastic joint press conference and extensive media availability.
Instead, the press briefing room remained dark. Breaking with established protocol, Trump did not hold a press conference or speak to reporters following the meeting. He chose instead to retreat to the safety of his digital echo chamber, posting a summary on his Truth Social platform.
When the President did appear in public, the performance reportedly did little to quell the rumours. Karem described a 'lethargic' demeanour during a Thursday event in the Roosevelt Room, where Trump appeared alongside Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
The event was scheduled to announce the repealing of the federal government's authority to regulate climate change—a significant policy shift that would typically be delivered with Trump's signature aggressive showmanship. However, witnesses described a 'low-energy Trump' who seemed to be going through the motions rather than commanding the room.
Trump’s Washington has become unrecognizablehttps://t.co/QI5TvY2DHC
Source: International Business Times UK
