Former President Donald Trump questioned President Joe Biden’s mental acuity during a speech at a convention of Turning Point Action in Detroit, suggesting that Biden should take a cognitive test like he did. However, Trump confused the name of Texas Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson, referring to him as “Ronny Johnson.” Jackson, who was the White House physician during part of Trump’s presidency, is one of Trump’s most vociferous defenders on Capitol Hill. Trump, who turned 78 on Friday, has made questioning Biden’s ability to serve a second term a centerpiece of his campaign.
Critics quickly seized on Trump’s gaffe, with the Biden campaign posting a clip of the moment on social media. Trump had taken a cognitive test in 2018 at his own request, which is designed to detect early signs of memory loss and mild cognitive impairment. The test includes tasks such as remembering a list of words, repeating random numbers backward, naming words that begin with a certain letter, drawing a cube, and describing how two objects are alike. Trump later claimed he had to remember and accurately recite a list of words in order during the test.
During the same speech, Trump also referenced a widely circulated video clip showing Biden at the Group of Seven summit in Italy watching skydivers land with flags from different nations. In a cropped version of the video, Biden appears to turn away from the leaders and walk in the other direction, but a fuller angle of the scene shows that he was actually facing a skydiver who had landed. Trump falsely described Biden as turning around to look at trees, drawing laughter from the crowd. The Biden campaign dismissed the clip as misleadingly cropped and accused those circulating it of tampering with the video.
Trump’s focus on questioning Biden’s mental acuity and ability to serve a second term has been a consistent theme of his campaign since leaving office. He often uses social media and public appearances to criticize Biden’s verbal missteps and perceived cognitive abilities. Republicans, including Jackson, have defended Trump’s own cognitive abilities, with the former White House physician declaring him one of the healthiest presidents in history. However, Trump’s own remarks, such as confusing names and events during speeches, have raised questions about his own cognitive fitness.
The issue of cognitive ability and fitness for office has become a prominent topic in political discourse, with both sides using it to attack their opponents. Trump’s suggestion that Biden should take a cognitive test like he did highlights the ongoing debate over the mental acuity of political leaders. As the 2022 midterm elections approach and speculation grows about potential presidential runs in 2024, the issue of cognitive tests and mental fitness is likely to remain a point of contention in the political arena.
