Former President Donald Trump’s cognitive ability was called into question by Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov on Fox News. Tarlov appeared to dismiss the importance of the cognitive test that Trump often mentions and claims to have “aced.” The test, which Trump took while president, appears to have been administered in 2018 and involves tasks such as identifying animals and counting backwards by a factor of seven. Tarlov compared the test to those given to individuals who have been in traumatic accidents, suggesting that it may not be a true measure of cognitive ability.
Trump has frequently referenced the cognitive test he took while in office, claiming that he performed well on it. In a 2020 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump described the test as consisting of 30 or 35 questions, ranging from easy to difficult. He mentioned a memory question that involved repeating a sequence of words in a specific order to earn extra points. Trump boasted about “acing” the test and recounted how doctors at Walter Reed National Medical Center were surprised by his performance. Trump’s description of the test closely resembles the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), which is designed to detect cognitive impairments, particularly in the early stages of dementia.
The debate over Trump’s cognitive ability has been paralleled by speculation about President Joe Biden’s mental acuity. Fox News host Jeanine Pirro raised the question of why Biden has not taken a similar cognitive test, given that Trump reportedly “aced” it. The issue has garnered attention from both sides of the political spectrum, with 14 Republican members of the House of Representatives, including former White House physician Ronny Jackson, calling on Biden to undergo a MoCA test. Jackson, who previously praised Trump’s perfect score on the cognitive test, expressed concerns about Biden’s alleged “mental decline.”
The discussion about cognitive tests and mental acuity underscores the ongoing scrutiny of political leaders’ fitness for office. While Trump has touted his performance on a cognitive test as evidence of his mental prowess, critics like Tarlov argue that such tests may not provide a comprehensive assessment of cognitive ability. The controversy surrounding these tests reflects broader concerns about the health and well-being of individuals in positions of power. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how much weight should be given to cognitive tests in evaluating political leaders and their ability to govern effectively.
