Former President Donald Trump boasted about acing a cognitive test during a recent New Hampshire campaign stop, claiming it included complex math problems. However, experts argue that the test is generally easy, and a mock exam revealed straightforward questions without intricate math equations.
Key Facts:
- Trump mentioned acing a cognitive test that involved identifying animal shapes, progressively getting harder, and featuring complex math problems.
- At 77, Trump asserted that he is now cognitively better than 20 years ago, prompting him to request a cognitive test from former White House doctor Ronny Jackson, who suggested the exam “can be hard.”
- Trump took a jab at President Joe Biden, challenging him to surpass the third question and questioning his ability to run a lemonade stand.
- Cognitive testing typically lasts around 15 minutes and involves simple tasks like spelling words backward or repeating lists for individuals showing signs of cognitive issues.
- Although Trump didn’t specify the test he took, a mock Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a common cognitive test, includes questions on identifying animals, word similarity, and drawing a given time on a clock.
- The only math problem on the mock assessment was a serial sevens test, requiring counting backward from 100 in increments of seven.
Key Background:
- Trump has previously bragged about passing cognitive tests, stating he did so with flying colors during a campaign event in Iowa in December 2023.
- He suggested that all presidential candidates should undergo cognitive testing, claiming Biden wouldn’t pass.
- Trump also mentioned passing a cognitive test in an interview in June 2020, and White House officials declined to make the results public.
- Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a rival for the Republican presidential nomination, endorsed mental capacity tests for politicians over the age of 75, including both Trump and Biden. She suggested that a younger generation should take over.
Tangent:
- The discussion about cognitive tests for politicians over 75 extends beyond Trump, with Nikki Haley emphasizing the need for a younger generation to assume leadership roles.