Donald Trump Reportedly Mixes Up Dementia Screening with ‘Very Difficult’ IQ Test in Self-Praise
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President Donald Trump recently made headlines yet again, this time for boasting about taking what he referred to as an IQ test at Walter Reed Medical Center. During a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One, the 79-year-old President claimed to have achieved a perfect score on this test, challenging Democratic Representatives Jasmine Crockett and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to take the same exam. In his own words, Trump stated, “They have Jasmine Crockett, a low IQ person. AOC is low IQ. You give her an IQ test, have her pass, like, the exams that I decided to take when I was at Walter Reed.” He further described the test as “very hard” and stated, “They’re really aptitude tests, I guess, in a certain way, but they’re cognitive tests. Let AOC go against Trump.”
It appears that President Trump may have been referencing the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a 10-minute assessment commonly used to identify signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s. This test is not designed to measure intelligence levels, as clarified by Canadian neurologist Dr. Ziad Nasreddine, who created the MoCA in 1996. Despite this, Trump has previously mentioned receiving a perfect score on the MoCA during his annual physical exam at Walter Reed, as confirmed by his physician in a memo earlier this year. In fact, he also allegedly scored a perfect 30 out of 30 on the same test back in 2018. These claims raise questions about the appropriateness of using a dementia screening test as a measure of intelligence.
This is not the first time Trump has made headlines for discussing cognitive assessments. In 2020, he publicly challenged former President Joe Biden to take the same test and later shared details of one section during a Fox News appearance. Trump recounted, “It’s like you’ll go: Person, woman, man, camera, TV. So they say, ‘Could you repeat that?’ So I said, ‘Yeah. So it’s person, woman, man, camera, TV.’ ‘Okay, that’s very good. If you get it in order, you get extra points.’ ” These anecdotes about the cognitive test have added to the ongoing dialogue surrounding Trump’s cognitive abilities.
Despite President Trump’s confidence in his performance on the cognitive assessment, it is essential to note that such screenings are not indicative of a person’s IQ level. The MoCA specifically serves a different purpose and should not be equated with traditional intelligence tests. The focus on these test results has sparked conversations about the intersection of cognitive health, public leadership, and the perception of intelligence in political figures.
As Trump continues his term in office, his health evaluations, including recent lab tests, advanced imaging, and preventive health assessments, remain a topic of interest and scrutiny. His decision to undergo an MRI scan earlier this month adds to the speculation surrounding his health status. While Trump has shared optimistic reports about his recent medical examinations, including claiming “perfect” results from the MRI, details about his health and cognitive well-being continue to be subjects of discussion and debate.
In conclusion, President Donald Trump’s conflation of a dementia screening test with an IQ test has stirred up conversations about cognitive health, intelligence assessments, and public perception. The use of medical evaluations as a measure of intelligence highlights the complexities surrounding discussions of leadership and mental acuity in the political sphere. As Trump’s presidency unfolds, his comments on cognitive assessments serve as a reminder of the intersection between personal health, public perception, and political leadership.