President Donald Trump boasted about his cognitive abilities at a campaign rally in Wichita, Kansas, on Monday, highlighting his perfect scores on a mental acuity test and poking fun at the simplicity of one of its questions.
Speaking to supporters, Trump recounted a test where he was shown images of a lion, a bear, a snake, and a giraffe, and asked to identify the giraffe. He claimed that critics dismiss the test, but noted that he achieved a perfect score three times.
Perfect Scores and Political Context
Trump, who is 80 years old, has frequently touted his performance on cognitive tests, saying he has taken about six, a higher number than the typical every one to three years recommended by doctors. In May, following a medical exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre, Dr. Sean Barbabella declared Trump "fully fit" to serve, after a CT scan, heart imaging, cancer screenings, and other assessments by 22 specialists.
On Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Unlike other US Presidents, none of whom have ever taken an approved, high-difficulty cognitive test, I scored a perfect 30 out of 30, considered 'extreme intelligence.'" He added, "In fact, this is my fourth such test, all PERFECT or 120 correct answers out of 120 questions asked! It is very rare that anyone gets a Perfect Score, especially when achieved four times in a row."
Reports have suggested the test may be the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which is used to screen for dementia and cognitive impairment.
Midterm Campaign Trail
The rally comes as Republicans campaign ahead of key midterm elections in several states. During a separate rally in North Carolina, Vice President JD Vance addressed a protester who waved a state flag and shouted about releasing Epstein files. Vance told the crowd that the protester represented what "far left Democrats" stand for: "fraudsters, criminals and illegal aliens."
