There’s been widespread consideration on Donald Trump’s asserting that he would refuse to defend NATO allies he considers “delinquent” and even saying he would possibly encourage Russia to assault them. A whole lot of the conversations I’ve heard have targeted on the coverage implications — on what it will imply for America to desert its treaty obligations and deal with NATO as a safety racket.

These implications are necessary and alarming. However should you ask me, we haven’t given sufficient consideration to precisely what Trump stated — and what it says about his grasp on actuality.

Actually, I’d like to spend this marketing campaign speaking solely about coverage; wonkery is my completely happy place. However since sufficient of the physique politic appears to have determined to make this election season an train in newbie long-distance geriatric analysis, specializing in President Biden’s age and look moderately than his file, let’s take a more in-depth have a look at his opponent.

For Trump typically gives the look of residing in his personal actuality. I’m not speaking about the truth that he lies so much, though he does. My level, moderately, is that he typically appears unable to inform the distinction between self-aggrandizing fantasies and issues that really occurred.

So right here’s how Trump’s repudiation of NATO went down: He didn’t make a simple case, which might have been controversial, that we’re spending an excessive amount of on protection whereas our allies are spending too little. As a substitute, he advised a story: “One of many presidents of an enormous nation stood up and stated, ‘Effectively, sir, if we don’t pay and we’re attacked by Russia, will you shield us?’ I stated, ‘You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent? … No, I’d not shield you. In actual fact, I’d encourage them to do regardless of the hell they need.’”

To make use of the language of intelligence assessments, it’s extremely unlikely that this dialog or something prefer it truly occurred.

However as CNN’s Daniel Dale has famous, Trump may be very keen on telling tales about huge, robust males with tears of their eyes developing and calling him “sir.” There’s nearly by no means any corroborating proof, and it’s a very good wager that only a few of those tales are accounts of precise conversations.

It’s equally extremely unlikely that the likes of, let’s say, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel ever addressed Trump as “sir.” It’s additionally extremely unlikely that any NATO leaders requested what would occur if their international locations didn’t “pay.” European officers know, even when Trump doesn’t, that NATO is an alliance, not a membership that collects dues from its members.

By the way in which, whereas European nations have most likely been spending too little on their very own protection, many have risen to the problem of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Notably, Lithuania — which Trump singled out as honest sport for Putin — has spent six instances as a lot on Ukraine support, measured as a share of G.D.P., as the US has.

So what’s occurring right here? Both Trump is telling an particularly pointless lie or he’s confused about previous occasions.

It wouldn’t be the primary time. As I stated, whereas we don’t know for positive that Trump’s many “sir” tales are figments of his creativeness, we do know that, opposite to his claims, one supply stated there’s no method that cops and court docket staff have been “crying” and apologizing to Trump at his Manhattan court docket arraignment final spring.

Let’s be clear what’s at stake right here. By no means thoughts the political evaluation, the discuss public perceptions and the way they might have an effect on the 2024 horse race. What we must be specializing in is how the candidates’ psychological competence would possibly have an effect on their resolution making.

It’s notable that regardless of all of the frenzy about Biden’s age, I haven’t seen many ideas that he’s made unhealthy selections as a result of his judgment is impaired; it’s nearly all hypothesis concerning the future. Sure, he’s made errors, though the 2 selections that obtained essentially the most criticism — withdrawing from Afghanistan and going huge on spending — are literally wanting justifiable on reflection.

However these errors, in the event that they have been errors, have been the sort any president, irrespective of how younger and vigorous, may have made.

Alternatively, take into account how Trump reacted to the Covid-19 pandemic. Republicans have been remarkably profitable at pretending that the Trump administration ended earlier than the pandemic got here to dominate the scene. However it didn’t; Covid killed greater than 77,000 Individuals in December 2020, Trump’s final full month in workplace.

And because the pandemic unfold, Trump responded, as The Washington Submit put it, with “denial, mismanagement and magical pondering.” Principally, he was unwilling to acknowledge an inconvenient actuality and frequently minimized the hazard whereas amplifying quack treatments. Bear in mind all of the instances he stated Covid would disappear? Bear in mind the “disinfectant” press briefing? Bear in mind hydroxychloroquine?

Oh, and in case you’ve forgotten, Trump nonetheless refuses to confess that he misplaced the 2020 election.

In contrast to Biden’s missteps, no matter you could assume they’ve been, Trump’s mishandling of Covid and election denial have been uniquely Trumpian — the conduct of a person who doesn’t like to just accept actuality when it isn’t what he desires it to be.

And does anybody assume he’s improved on that entrance over the previous three years?