Trending Now - Jon Stewart Challenges Trump’s Claims on Cognitive Tests
WHO:
Mashable - Jon Stewart responded to Trump’s comments.
Alternet - President Donald Trump is the subject of analysis regarding his cognitive test claims.
Alternet - Steve Benen is a contributor for MS NOW and a producer for Rachel Maddow.
WHAT:
Alternet - The doctor who designed the Montreal Cognitive Test, Ziad Nasreddine, stated, "It wasn't designed to be a test of IQ. It was designed to assess normal cognitive performance."
Alternet - Nasreddine noted that the average final score on the Montreal Cognitive Test is 26 out of 30, and only around 10 percent of people Trump's age would score below that.
Mashable - Trump claimed he is "the only president to take a cognitive test."
Alternet - Trump has been described as "incessant" in boasting about his cognitive test results.
Alternet - A Pew Research Center poll found that 44% of Americans now consider Trump to be "mentally sharp," down from 55% in November 2024.
Alternet - Trump suggested that Barack Obama would fail a cognitive test, stating, "you’re stuck with a man who’s a moron."
WHERE:
Alternet - Trump made his comments in front of a "supportive crowd in Florida."
WHY:
Alternet - Nasreddine suggested that Trump's pride in passing cognitive tests may stem from concerns about cognitive decline associated with his age and family history of dementia.
Alternet - The analysis suggests that Trump's fixation on cognitive tests is not persuading the public of his mental fitness.
HOW:
Alternet - Trump has been taking cognitive tests in a relatively short amount of time, indicating concerns about his possible cognitive decline.
(UPDATED May 5, 2026 15:38 UTC)
Ziad Nasreddine, the doctor who created the Montreal Cognitive Test, clarified that the test was not intended to measure IQ but rather to evaluate normal cognitive performance. He pointed out that the average score on this test is 26 out of 30, with only about 10 percent of individuals in Trump's age group scoring below that threshold. Nasreddine also suggested that Trump's pride in passing these cognitive tests might be linked to worries about cognitive decline, particularly given his age and family history of dementia.
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(UPDATED May 5, 2026 11:22 UTC)
Trump recently claimed he is "the only president to take a cognitive test," while suggesting that Barack Obama would fail such a test, calling him "a moron" in front of a supportive crowd in Florida. Despite his incessant boasting about his cognitive test results, a Pew Research Center poll shows that only 44% of Americans now consider him "mentally sharp," a drop from 55% in November 2024. Analysts suggest that Trump's focus on these tests may not be convincing the public of his mental fitness, especially given the concerns surrounding his cognitive decline.