Letter: Presidency should require a competency test

Published 8:06 pm Thursday, January 29, 2026

By Staff Reports

About two months ago, I sent a letter to Sen. Jeff Merkley asking if, in light of having a president with several mental illnesses that have created serious domestic and international repercussions, could he conceive of a plan to create an independent, professional board of psychiatrists that would review candidates for president.

This plan would be created by Congress, and would have a congressional committee to oversee its function according to law. It is possible the board could either cause a candidate to be removed before the primaries, or the results of each candidate could be made public.

We have a chance to make sure that no future Donald Trumps ever have another chance to again turn America into a country of hate and fear. How sane is a president who believes he should get the Nobel Peace Prize, then bombs Venezuela, Iran, Syria, Iraq and Nigeria, and threatens Canada, Greenland, Denmark, Columbia and Mexico?

DAVID FITCH

Astoria