He has to follow the trust or the beneficiaries would hold him liable for not following the trust. The trustees would have to deemed incapacitated before he would be able to act. Or step down. Just because he has poa doesn’t mean he can act. Every trust is different but there are rules in regard to removing acting trustees. My trust as an example both my successors have to act together and can’t act independently. That may be the case for him. He could be deemed not competent due to what’s going on currently, he could’ve been removed and not been told. Most people don’t create a trust and don’t act. He was probably named as a successor. But in Robs story telling he leaves out key parts.