Roger Stone Shares Smiling Oval Office Photo to Reject Claims About 79‑Year‑Old Trump’s Mental Decline

Roger Stone pushed back against media reports questioning President Trump’s mental fitness, sharing a smiling Oval Office photo and saying he has seen Trump recently and noticed no change. The rebuttal comes amid concerns about nodding off, memory lapses and verbal confusion that some clinicians say resemble dementia‑related signs, though a formal diagnosis requires evaluation. Stone was convicted in 2019 of lying to Congress and related charges; Trump commuted his sentence. Since the president’s return to office, Stone has also earned significant lobbying fees.

01:41 AM, 12/01/2025Politics

Roger Stone Shares Smiling Oval Office Photo to Reject Claims About 79‑Year‑Old Trump’s Mental Decline

Roger Stone, the longtime political operative who has described himself as a “dirty trickster,” posted a smiling Oval Office photo on X to counter recent media coverage questioning President Donald Trump’s mental sharpness. Stone wrote that he had seen Mr. Trump “only days ago” and insisted the 79‑year‑old president is “no different than he has been in the 50 years I have known him.”

“Entertaining that those who lied so convincingly about the fact that Joe Biden was a veritable incoherent vegetable when he was president now insist Trump ... is slipping and near death,” Stone wrote.

The post is part of a broader pushback against growing public concern about Mr. Trump’s behavior in recent months. Critics point to episodes such as calling a reporter “piggy,” insulting Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker as a “big fat slob,” apparent nodding off during meetings, repeated memory lapses and moments of verbal confusion. These incidents have prompted renewed scrutiny from medical observers and commentators.

Some clinical psychologists who have commented publicly say the president’s onstage and on-camera behavior can resemble signs associated with dementia, and a few have speculated that underlying personality traits could complicate those symptoms. Medical experts caution, however, that diagnosing cognitive conditions requires in‑person evaluation and access to medical history, and that public behavior alone is not sufficient to reach a clinical conclusion.

Stone’s Background and Recent Activity

Stone himself has a controversial legal and political record. In 2019 he was convicted of lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering related to the Russia investigation. President Trump later commuted Stone’s 40‑month sentence before he reported to prison. The conviction has limited Stone’s mainstream political roles in recent years.

Since Mr. Trump returned to the White House this year, Stone has appeared to regain some influence in lobbying work. Reporting indicates he has received an estimated $600,000 for work tied to a cryptocurrency investor known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” and roughly $250,000 for representing the interests of a small Native American tribe in Louisiana.

Whether Stone’s photograph and public assurances change the broader conversation is uncertain. The debate over Mr. Trump’s fitness for office continues to hinge on public behavior, expert commentary, political interpretation and the standards that voters and institutions use to assess a president’s capacity to serve.