Much of the media is extremely excited by the news that more than a dozen lawmakers (including one Republican) were recently briefed by a Yale psychiatrist on President Trump's mental health. And while Becket Adams has already written an excellent piece on this concern, I can't resist my own quick take here.

First off, as Kimberly Leonard reports, the psychiatrist in question is viewed with some skepticism by her fellow professionals. She is also the editor of a book that sought to portray the president as mentally ill. The prospect of book sales, one might suggest, affords the good doctor a rationale for hyperbolic assessments!

Second, while the president's behavior is sometimes very odd, he is surrounded by Cabinet officials and Secret Service agents who have sworn oaths to defend the constitutional interests of the country. If Trump were dressing up as a flamingo, sticking chopsticks in his nose and running around the White House singing songs about his service in the Second Punic War, we would probably have heard about it by now.

Moreover, our 25th Amendment to the Constitution specifically provides for situations of physical or mental incapacity. Whether or not we view them to be great public servants or partisan hacks, they are ultimately humans with families and a desire to live. They would not, put simply, be predisposed to allowing Trump to start firing off nuclear weapons!

Third, the president has a medical scheduled for next Friday. Conducted by a military officer, the results of Trump's examination will then be read out to the press. This doesn't seem like a terribly clever way for the White House to conceal Trump's media-presumed insanity, does it?

Also, while we're on the topic of mental illness. Does anyone remember a certain former president presenting himself as a Moses-esque demigod?



