Paul Krugman, a 2008 Nobel laureate and former New York Times columnist, wrote on Substack that he believes President Trump is exhibiting "sundowning"—a late-life decline—and warned the president could become more dangerous and vindictive if Democrats retake Congress. Krugman criticized media focus on rhetorical misstatements and said the larger concern is Trump's apparent loss of composure. He also argued a Democratic White House in 2028 would inherit a nation badly harmed by the incumbent's actions.
Krugman Warns Trump Is in a 'Sundowning' Phase and Could Grow More Vindictive If Democrats Win
Paul Krugman made a scary prediction about Donald Trump. NurPhoto via Getty Images
In a Substack post published Wednesday, Nobel laureate and former New York Times columnist Paul Krugman warned that President Donald Trump appears to be in a late-life cognitive decline he described using the term "sundowning," and argued that the president could become more dangerous and vindictive if Democrats regain control of Congress in the midterms.
Krugman's Central Warning
Krugman wrote that a figure he called a "Mad King" would not accept defeat calmly: "He won't feel that he has failed America, he will believe that America has failed him and try to punish the nation accordingly." Krugman said Trump would use his remaining powers vindictively, targeting not only victorious Democrats but the American people more broadly.
"Isn't the bigger story the fact that the leader of what used to be the world's most powerful nation — I say 'used to be' because America's power is collapsing before our eyes — has clearly and undeniably lost his mind?" Krugman asked.
Context and Examples
Krugman criticized media coverage that focused on Mr. Trump's lies and belligerent tone during his recent United Nations address, where Krugman says Trump threatened Iran and misstated economic data. He also revisited an earlier post headlined "It's Sundowning In America," citing what he called Trump's "demented demands that he receive the Nobel Peace Prize" as an early signal of concern.
Krugman asserted that the perceived harm was already clear before recent events, accusing the president of squandering U.S. military credibility and using a large share of munitions in what Krugman described as a "catastrophic war-of-choice in Iran." These characterizations are presented as Krugman's analysis and opinion in his Substack piece.
Credentials and Reporting: Krugman noted his 2008 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences while framing these concerns. His commentary originally appeared on his Substack and was reported by HuffPost.
Note: The piece reflects Krugman's perspective and should be read as opinion rather than an independent factual account. Readers may wish to consult multiple sources for broader context and responses from the White House and other observers.
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