Following reports on the medical examination recently taken by U.S. President Donald Trump, Fahed Al-Fanek, a senior columnist for the Jordanian daily Al-Rai and the former chair of the daily's board of directors, wrote that, even if Trump is physically healthy, this does not mean he is mentally fit to rule the world's greatest superpower. He added that a better medical exam, performed by an independent doctor, is needed in order to convince the American people that their president is fit for office. He also noted that Qaddafi and Hitler ruled their countries for many years despite their madness. At the same time, Fanek stated that the world needs the U.S. and depends on it, despite its flaws.
The following are excerpts from his article:[1]
"This is the first time in American history that the head of state is required to undergo a medical examination in order to confirm that he is sane and mentally stable. Trump passed [the examination] with flying colors, but that did not convince anyone, [because the exam] was performed by the White House doctor, i.e., by one of Trump's functionaries, who is not a psychiatrist. Therefore, [the exam] was not professional or independent to any extent, and a better assessment is needed in order to reassure the American people, who are shocked by their president's behavior. It should be noted that such an examination will not be sufficient [either], since physical health does not automatically mean that one is able to be an outstanding athlete. Even if the findings of the White House doctor are accurate, they may be sufficient for an ordinary man leading a normal life... but they do not necessarily prove that [Trump] is fit to rule the world's strongest and most important country – [especially considering that] in his office he allegedly has a red button that he might press in a moment of anger and destroy the entire world.
"[But] even had Trump proved to be mentally and behaviorally unstable, that wouldn't have necessarily meant an end to his rule. After all, Mu'ammar Al-Qaddafi did not have to be stable or mentally fit to rule Libya for many years, and the same goes for Hitler, who led the world to a destructive world war out of megalomania. The White House doctor did not suffice with expressing an opinion about Trump's current conduct, but reassured us and the world that Trump's physical and mental health will enable him to complete his term in office.
"What helps Trump to remain [in power] is the fact that the world needs the U.S., regardless of its flaws, no less that the U.S. needs the world. The Palestinians, for example, oppose the U.S. playing any role in the peace process, yet demand that the U.S. finance UNRWA, which supplies food, education and health [services] to the Palestinian refugees. In other words, even if the world is against the U.S. in theory, in practice it needs the U.S., and the U.S. knows this. [It therefore] thinks it can do as it pleases, without considering the implications and consequences of its decisions – for it can punish others, but the others are unable to punish it, because if they do, this will have the opposite effect and hurt them more than it helps them."
[1] Al-Rai (Jordan), January 31, 2018.
