Trump’s cognitive health has become a highly contested public issue, with a clear gap between White House medical assessments and concerns voiced by critics, and some mental health experts.
“President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the commander in chief and head of state,” physician to the President Dr Sean Barbabella wrote in April this year.
Trump is the oldest person ever elected President and frequently compares himself with former President Joe Biden, who at 82 became the oldest to hold office, the New York Times said last month.
“Could you imagine Sleepy Joe [Biden] taking a cognitive test?”, Trump was seen asking the crowd.
“The first question was like, ‘what is this’, and they show a lion, a giraffe, a fish and a hippopotamus, right, and they say, ‘which is the giraffe?’
“I don’t think Joe would have gotten the first question right ... he would say ‘I want the hippo.”
Reaction online was swift with one X user asking: “Who is running the country?”
Another said: “He got it right though”.
A third user appreciated the moment for its comedic value writing, “Love him or hate him this man is S tier at roasting people”.
Indy100 reported that although Trump did not specify which cognitive tests he sat, some observers suggested he was referring to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
The MoCA includes a task requiring participants to name a horse, a tiger and a duck.
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