1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

Less than 2 years ago, the nation was struggling to understand how we could have missed early signs of President Biden’s cognitive decline following a strikingly poor performance during a presidential debate. We were encouraged to blame anyone who had seen signs, symptoms, or moments that POTUS struggled to behave appropriately as indicators that he was no longer up to the job he had been elected to do. The cabinet and aides who ensured smooth operations in the administration, at home and abroad were deemed complicit and accountable for a cover-up. Now, we have been witnessing an increasingly erratic, dangerously unhinged president who has disregarded not only norms for behavior but also U.S. and international law in his second term. He dozes at meetings, posts profanities online throughout the night, and rambles off topic at every briefing. These are not early signs of decline: the president is unwell and we have no capable administrative team to keep the world from noticing. Ordinary families make difficult decisions every day to restrict elderly people from driving, or handling firearms or finances to prevent irreversible harm. This situation is only unique for the extreme damage being caused and the irresponsibility of those surrounding the cognitively impaired elder. Congress must investigate the president’s physical and mental health, learn the facts of his condition and the knowledge his cabinet has about it, and ensure that the administrative branch is helmed by a person with capacity to lead.