What happened: President Joe Biden terrifies White House aides with his "quick-trigger temper" and expletive-filled rants, Axios reported on Monday.
• Examples of the president's foul-mouthed eruptions include: "God dammit, how the f—k don't you know this?!" "Don't f—king bulls—t me!" and "Get the f—k out of here!"
• Biden's temper tantrums are so bad some staff members "try to avoid meeting alone with him."
What it means: Increased anger and agitation are common symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, according to the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
• "People with Alzheimer’s disease may become agitated or aggressive as the disease gets worse," the NIA advises Alzheimer's caregivers on its website. "Try not to ignore the problem. Doing nothing can make things worse."
Why it matters: Biden, 80, is running for a second four-year term as president of the United States. Concerned citizens have repeatedly expressed alarm over the state of his physical and mental health.
• The president suffered a near-fatal fall last month at the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in Colorado. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among Americans over the age of 65.
• In September of 2022, Biden attempted to converse with a congresswoman who died a month earlier. That episode is merely one of the most memorable examples of his innumerable brain-related gaffes.
• Biden may have exacerbated his risk of cognitive decline by neglecting to properly treat his longstanding sleep apnea, the Washington Free Beacon reported in June.
• Tucker Carlson heard members of Biden's family say "out loud that he had dementia," the former Fox News host told journalist Steve Krakauer.
Crucial context: Axios cofounder Jim VandeHei is also prone to fits of rage.
Be smart: Biden is not qualified to serve as commander in chief, and neither is Vice President Kamala Harris. Some of his allies are clearly worried he might die or become too incoherent to function on the campaign trail, which is why we are seeing leaks about his (probably) dementia-related temper, along with op-eds in the Atlantic urging the president to step aside in 2024.
Bottom line: Uh oh.