Extreme vetting

Re “Is Trump mentally fit to lead the country?” Opinion, June 18

Dr. Prudence L. Gourguechon, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, makes a critical point: Since the president is the commander in chief of the United States’ armed forces, there is no valid reason why the guidelines articulated in the Army’s “Field Manual 6-22 Leader Development” should not apply to him.

Gourguechon writes that the manual “articulates the core faculties that officers, including commanders, need in order to fulfill their jobs.” On what basis, then, should the commander in chief, of all people, be exempt from having those core faculties?

Answer: None. The U.S. Army’s Field Manual has served this country well. It’s time to apply it in support of 25th Amendment proceedings. Marta Vago Santa Monica

Evan Vucci Associated Press PRESIDENT TRUMP speaks during an Oval Office meeting with Panama’s leader on Monday.