Index/Topics/Goldwater Rule

Goldwater Rule

The American Psychiatric Association's Goldwater Rule, which cautions psychiatrists against diagnosing public figures without personal examination

Fact-Checks

9 results
Jan 15, 2026
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Is Trump insane?

No credible consensus in the professional literature or mainstream reporting concludes that Donald Trump meets clinical criteria for "insanity" or a formal psychiatric diagnosis that would legally ren...

Jan 19, 2026
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What notable behaviors or statements by Donald Trump sparked concern about his mental state?

A series of public gaffes, apparent memory lapses, off‑topic ramblings and confrontational statements by Donald Trump have driven sustained concern among journalists, lawmakers and many mental‑health ...

Jan 17, 2026
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What public evidence exists about Donald Trump’s cognitive assessments and medical disclosures?

Public evidence about Donald Trump’s cognitive assessments comprises a small set of official disclosures and media reporting: a 2018 Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) reportedly scored 30/30 (annou...

Jan 20, 2026

Which specific psychiatrists signed the 2017 and 2024 open letters about Trump, and what are their credentials?

Two distinct waves of public warnings by mental-health professionals about Donald Trump—first in 2017 and again in 2024—are documented in the sources, but the reportage does not provide a complete ros...

Jan 19, 2026

How do medical-ethics rules like the Goldwater rule govern clinicians’ public commentary on politicians’ mental health?

The Goldwater Rule is an ethical prohibition adopted by the American Psychiatric Association in 1973 that tells APA members not to offer professional opinions about the mental health of public figures...

Jan 18, 2026

Which DSM criteria would be relevant to assess a U.S. president's fitness for office, and how have experts argued they apply to Trump?

The materials supplied focus overwhelmingly on President Trump’s 2025 reinstatement of the Presidential Fitness Test and public debate about physical fitness policy, not on formal psychiatric evaluati...

Jan 16, 2026

Which fact‑checking organizations have published rulings on Donald Trump's health and cognitive test claims?

Only one dedicated fact‑checking organization is explicitly identified in the supplied reporting as having published rulings on Donald Trump’s health and cognitive‑test claims: FactCheck.org, which ap...

Jan 7, 2026

How have past presidential candidates been evaluated for psychopathy by experts?

Experts have evaluated presidential candidates and presidents for psychopathic traits using standardized psychometric tools and expert ratings, finding that some "boldness" traits linked to psychopath...

Jan 6, 2026

Is donald trump a Narcissist?

Public and professional observers overwhelmingly agree that Donald Trump exhibits textbook narcissistic traits—grandiosity, entitlement, need for admiration and low empathy—which many commentators and...