For much of the past two years there has been abundant talk about Donald Trump’s unfitness to serve as president. Professionals in the field of mental health have made shocking observations that suggest that he is suffering from a variety of psychological problems with varying degrees of severity. They include everything from Malignant Narcissism to Senile Dementia.

However, it doesn’t take a professional to notice some the mental infirmities that virtually scream out whenever Trump makes a public appearance or posts a comment on Twitter. His vocabulary is badly limited to a few “tremendous” words and phrases that he repeats frequently. “That I can tell you.” And his tendency to resort to childish insults and nicknames is evidence of a stunted emotional maturity. On Thursday morning Trump displayed another example of his failing cognitive skills in a furious tweet:

Nancy just said she “just doesn’t understand why?” Very simply, without a Wall it all doesn’t work. Our Country has a chance to greatly reduce Crime, Human Trafficking, Gangs and Drugs. Should have been done for decades. We will not Cave!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2019

Judging by the context in Trump’s tweet, it would appear that he’s criticizing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her inability to understand why he’s fighting so hard for a wall on the southern border. The only problem with that is that the remarks he is referring to had nothing whatsoever to do with that.

What Pelosi was responding to were comments by Trump’s Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross. During an interview on CNBC, Ross was asked about the sad occurrence of federal workers, furloughed by Trump’s government shutdown, having to visit food banks in order to provide for their families. He replied saying that “I don’t really quite understand why,” and suggested that they should just go out and get loans to tide them over. That strikingly insensitive response is what Pelosi was referencing when she said

“What do [Republicans] have? They have Wilbur Ross saying he doesn’t understand why when he was asked about people going to food lines and pantries and the rest. He says that he doesn’t understand why they have to do that. Is this the ‘let them eat cake’ kind of attitude, or ‘call your father for money?'”

Nancy Pelosi responds to Wilbur Ross: "Is this the 'let them eat cake' kind of attitude, or 'call your father for money?'" Via ABC pic.twitter.com/2qOpT4472P

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 24, 2019

So Pelosi was not saying that she didn’t understand the need for the wall. She wasn’t even saying that she didn’t understand anything. She was recounting Ross’ comments that it was he who didn’t understand. How could Trump have gotten that so terribly wrong? It wasn’t the least bit confusing.

The answer may have something to do with the obvious mental defects he is suffering from. Or it might be that he’s just dishonestly twisting Pelosi’s words to fit them into his own narrative. Then again, it could have something to do with Trump’s inability to deal with strong women that just threw him into a psychotic haze. After all, he has already had to bow down in submission to Pelosi with regard to the State of the Union address that she isn’t permitting him to give until the government is reopened. And it’s cute how his tweet says that he “will not Cave,” after just having done so a few hours earlier.

Trump is having a difficult time dealing with Pelosi. He couldn’t even make up a nasty nickname for her, so he settled for calling her “Nancy.” That’s pretty lame. What’s more, while he has no problem insulting the men in Congress that he doesn’t like, his “insults” directed at Pelosi are often more like compliments. Trump calls Democratic representatives her “puppets.” He even said that Pelosi “dominates” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. Those comments suggest strength on Pelosi’s part.

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What’s more, when he was unhappy with the former GOP Speaker, Paul Ryan, Trump wasn’t shy about saying that he is a “very weak and ineffective leader.” But he never disparages Pelosi that way. There is clearly something constraining him. And from all of the available evidence, it looks very much like fear. And if so, it’s exactly the right way he should feel.