I’m inclined to believe the guy has some idea of what he’s talking about.

Tony Schwartz, after all, spent a considerable amount of time crawling around inside Donald Trump’s head, as he worked with him to ghost write the book that so many feel created the myth of Trump as some sort of keen, business superman, “The Art of the Deal.”

During a Wednesday evening interview, Schwartz gave the benefit of his observations of the Trump we see now, and the Trump he dealt with, while working on the book.

For starters, he’s noticing an alarming change.

“But what it means in simple terms is he’s losing his grip on reality,” Schwartz told MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber” when asked about Trump’s reported suggestion that the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape may not be real.

“His reality testing is really poor and I believe that’s exactly what’s going on,” Schwartz added.

For those that missed it, with the firestorm of sexual harassment and abuse claims dominating the news, the president has suggested privately that the 2005 audio that voters were treated to a month before the election, where Trump boasted to host Billy Bush that his wealth and fame allowed him to kiss or sexually assault women, may not be genuine.

The problem with that is that he already acknowledged it during the election.

Schwartz went on to suggest that there may be reason for concern over Trump’s mental well-being.

“He is more limited in his vocabulary. He is further from as I say- this connection to what is factual and real. He is more impulsive. He is more reactive. This is a guy in deep trouble,” said Schwartz.

Dementia? It happens, and Trump is not a young man. He could very well be dealing with some organic issues.

I know his defenders get really upset when anybody suggests that Trump may not be the absolute embodiment of strength, virility, genius, and class, but rather, an actual human being, prone to every human frailty. They seem to take it quite personally to have his humanity pointed out, but reality isn’t based on their feelings. The man might be dealing with something.

He also said that many employees at the White House are “hostages to a cult leader.”

Many voters, too, actually.

“When you watch Sarah Huckabee Sanders right now, you really feel as if you’re watching somebody who is being brainwashed, or has been brainwashed,” Schwartz said, referencing the White House press secretary.

Interesting.

That Susan Atkins-like quality aside, I’m not convinced she actually believes half of the stuff she’s paid to stand there and promote. She’s just doing a job, and it’s not her place to get the president to a neurologist for the necessary testing. That would be the job of Trump’s family.

Unfortunately, the same man who was raised to believe compassion was for suckers, who influenced his father (who also suffered with dementia) to cut his deceased brother’s children out of the will, and who cut off promised, necessary medical care to his nephew’s sick baby (in retaliation for a lawsuit launched to get their share of the family inheritance), raised his kids to be just as cold-blooded. They’re not going to risk their access to power by having their dad seek medical attention.

Then again, Schwartz may be wrong and this could just be the Trump that was well-hidden from him for the time they worked together. We may not know the full extent of what’s going on behind the scenes until something really drastic happens.