Trump repeats claim of 'acing' cognitive tests, recalls identifying animals during exam

ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA: President Donald Trump once again leaned into questions surrounding his mental fitness during a campaign-style appearance in North Carolina, where he told supporters on Friday that he has “aced” multiple cognitive tests and even described one of the questions in detail.

The remarks came amid renewed scrutiny of the 79-year-old president’s health following a string of recent public appearances.

Trump’s speech, which was billed as an address on the economy, quickly veered into familiar territory as he defended his cognitive abilities and contrasted himself with former President Joe Biden.

Donald Trump repeats claim of acing cognitive tests amid health scrutiny

“I did something no other president's ever done. I took cognitive tests because I know that and by the way, not easy,” Trump told the crowd, drawing applause. “And I aced them.”

The president said he has now taken three separate cognitive exams, repeatedly emphasizing that he passed all of them with ease. He also mocked Biden’s ability to do the same.

“You get to those last questions, those last 10, 15 questions…and I aced them,” Trump said. “And no other president's taken a cog... Could you imagine sleepy Joe taking a cognitive test?”

The comments came as critics have raised concerns following Trump’s recent appearances, including moments where he appeared to nod off during daytime events, including a Cabinet meeting, and delivered a rambling 18-minute address from the White House earlier this week.

Donald Trump describes animal-identification question from cognitive exam

Trump went on to offer a detailed and unusual recollection of what he said was the first question on one of the tests.

“The first question is like, ‘What is this?’ And they show a lion, a giraffe, a fish, and a hippopotamus,” he recalled. “And they say, ‘Which is the giraffe?’”

He then used the example to jab at his predecessor once again. “I don't think Joe would have gotten the first question right,” Trump said. “He would say hippo. ‘I want the hippo.’”

The line drew laughter from the audience, with Trump pausing as supporters applauded and cheered.

“I've taken now three cognitive tests. I've aced every single one of them,” he reiterated.

History of Donald Trump’s cognitive tests and health claims

During his first term, Trump underwent a cognitive assessment in 2018, earning a perfect score, according to his White House physician at the time. Trump later made headlines by repeatedly recalling five words from the test: “person, woman, man, camera, TV.”

In April of this year, Trump said he took another mental fitness exam and “got every answer right.” Following a physical examination in October, Trump again claimed he “ACED” a cognitive test, sharing the result on Truth Social.

“This is big stuff. This is at Walter Reed, I've got a whole team of doctors all over the place,” Trump told the North Carolina crowd.

He also recounted asking doctors whether he should even take the test. “‘What do you think? Should I do it?’” he asked. “They said, ‘Well here's the good news. The good news is that if you do well that's great…If you do well they won't report it. If you do badly it's going to be the biggest story in history.’”

Trump said doctors concluded he was in “perfect health,” though he criticized media coverage of that phrase. “And the fake news interprets when the doctor says ‘he's got perfect health,’ they go, ‘What does he mean by perfect?’” he said, adding, “These people are sick.”

Critics question Donald Trump’s mental fitness despite reassurances

Despite Trump’s repeated assurances, skepticism remains. California Democratic Gov Gavin Newsom’s press office reacted to a clip of the speech by writing, “He’s sundowning hard.”

Democratic Rep Ted Lieu of California questioned the frequency of Trump’s exams, asking, “Why do doctors keep giving Trump cognitive tests?”

Medical professionals have also weighed in. After Trump’s Wednesday address from the White House, Dr Jonathan Reiner, cardiologist to the late Vice President Dick Cheney, told CNN that the president’s “manic cadence” was “very disturbing.”

“We've never seen the president like that,” Reiner said.

Trump, however, struck a defiant but reflective note toward the end of his remarks.

“There will be a time when perhaps I won't be 100 percent,” he conceded. “When that time comes, I'll let you know about it. In fact, you probably will find out about it just by watching. But that time is not now because I feel the same that I’ve felt for 50 years, I really do.”