Former Trump Aide Says Ex-President's Recent Fumbles Are 'Concerning'

Sarah Matthews, who served as White House deputy press secretary under Donald Trump, said her former boss’ recent speaking gaffes are “a little bit concerning.”

Trump on Friday confused his GOP presidential rival Nikki Haley with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) during a New Hampshire rally ahead of Tuesday’s primaries.

Speaking to CNN Monday, Matthews discussed that flub, noting that it followed a string of recent slip-ups for the former president, including repeatedly mixing up former President Barack Obama with President Joe Biden.

“This is not unique, and it is a little bit concerning,” Matthews said. “And I do think that Nikki Haley was right to call this out.”

She went on: “I kind of wish that she had brought up these attacks sooner questioning Trump’s mental acuity, because this is something obviously we’ve seen her and other Republicans like Trump go after Biden for, but obviously Trump is not that much younger than Biden. He’s definitely no spring chicken.”

“I think it’s fair to question his mental acuity when you have these kinds of moments like this where he definitely seemed very confused,” Matthews added.

Republicans have relentlessly attacked Biden, 81, over his age and verbal slips, but rarely give Trump, 77, the same treatment. Haley, though, has ramped up her attacks on Trump in recent days, seizing on the Haley-Pelosi blunder to question Trump’s mental fitness.

Matthews held her post at the White House for seven months. She resigned on Jan. 6, 2021, the day a mob of Trump supporters carried out a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol. In 2022, she testified before the House panel investigating the incident, and has since spoken out about Trump’s rhetoric.

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