From mini strokes to mentally unstable: US presidential nominees' health in jeopardy?

In the United States, the health of the President and the presidential candidate has become a subject of debate. People are questioning if Joe Biden is mentally and psychologically unfit for office, and there are also rumours that Donald Trump is suffering from mini-strokes.

Joe Biden is known to be a gaffe machine. Biden's many public blunders have earned him the title 'sleepy Joe'. The 77-year-old is now the official democratic presidential nominee and the questions around his cognitive abilities have only increased.

Biden is being called 'mentally unstable'. In question is a report that was recently submitted to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

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This report was about alleged election interference by foreign powers seeking to raise doubts about the health of both the presidential candidates. The report titled, 'Russia likely to denigrate health of US candidates to influence 2020 election', was sent to the DHS public affairs office in July.

The draft mentioned that the Russian media had been publishing reports on the poor mental health of Biden. This report, like many products from DHS intelligence bureau, was intended to be distributed to federal and state enforcement agencies but it was delayed for further review, and then completely withheld.

Now, this information has been leaked and it has prompted scrutiny of alleged political influence at the DHS.

The DHS says it did not publish the report because it was "poorly written" and it lacked the necessary context and evidence for broader dissmenation. The Democrats are pushing for a probe.

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In the meantime, concerns are being raised about Donald Trump's health as well. Rumour mills have been abuzz with the news that the 74-yeard old POTUS is suffering mini-strokes.

It all started with a report published by Matt Drudge, an American political commentator and an influential media personality. He runs a website called the Druge Report.

During 2016, he used every bit of his influence to back Donald Trump, but now he has turned against Trump. Recently, he published a column which suggested that Trump had been suffering mini-strokes. As proof, he provided some images of Donald Trump dragging his right leg.

Dr. Sean Conley, the US President's physician has categorically denied all such claims, but Trump is known to be his own spokesperson. So, he put out a tweet, "It never ends! Now they are trying to say that your favorite President, me, went to Walter Reed Medical Center, having suffered a series of mini-strokes. Never happened to THIS candidate - FAKE NEWS. Perhaps they are referring to another candidate from another Party!"

Trump put out another tweet that was directly aimed at Matt Drudge saying, "Drudge didn’t support me in 2016, and I hear he doesn’t support me now. Maybe that’s why he is doing poorly. His Fake News report on Mini-Strokes is incorrect. Possibly thinking about himself, or the other party’s “candidate”."

However, Biden has mostly remained silent on questions on his mental health. He is now headed to Kenosha — the latest flashpoint of violent protests in America. His visit comes just two days after Trump travelled the same city. The dueling trips are set to frame the upcoming presidential debates around racial injustice.