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Washington, D.C. – Former President Donald Trump reignited public discussion about his physical and mental acuity on Friday, January 2, taking to Truth Social to announce that White House doctors had “just reported” him to be in “PERFECT HEALTH” and that he had “ACED” his cognitive examination for the third consecutive time. This latest boast comes amidst persistent questions regarding the health of presidential candidates and follows a recent in-depth exposé on his well-being.
Trump’s social media post, characteristic of his direct communication style, claimed he was “correct on 100% of the questions asked!” during the cognitive evaluation. He further asserted that “no other President, or previous Vice President, was willing to take” such a test. In a postscript, he advocated for mandatory cognitive examinations for all presidential and vice-presidential candidates, stating, “Our great Country cannot be run by ‘STUPID’ or INCOMPETENT PEOPLE!”
A Recurring Claim of Cognitive Acuity
The former president’s assertion of acing a third cognitive test is not new. Just weeks prior, on December 9, Trump made similar claims regarding his health and cognitive abilities. In a lengthy social media post detailing his accomplishments since leaving office, he stated he had received “PERFECT Marks” on “long, thorough and very boring Medical Examinations” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He specifically mentioned taking a “Cognitive Examination” on “three separate occasions,” with the most recent being “recently,” and claimed to have “ACED all three of them in front of large numbers of doctors and experts.” He has previously, in 2020, referred to a specific cognitive screening test, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), as “very hard” and bragged about remembering five words in sequence. It remains unclear whether his January 2 post refers to a genuinely new examination or is a reiteration of the same events mentioned in December, leading to ambiguity about the precise number of such tests performed.
The Wall Street Journal Exposé: “As Signs of Aging Emerge, Trump Responds With Defiance”
Trump’s latest statements closely followed a comprehensive report published by The Wall Street Journal just one day prior, titled “As Signs of Aging Emerge, Trump Responds With Defiance.” This exposé delved into various aspects of the former president’s health and physical presentation, prompting direct responses from Trump himself.
In the interview, Trump maintained he was in “perfect health.” He dismissed questions about alleged declining hearing, and addressed photographs that appeared to show him dozing off during meetings. He clarified, “I’ll just close [my eyes]. It’s very relaxing to me,” adding, “Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink.”
A point of particular public interest has been the visible bruising on Trump’s hands in recent months. The former president attributed these marks to his personal decision to take a higher dose of aspirin than his doctors advised. He explained his rationale, telling the WSJ, “They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart. I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?” He described this practice as “superstitious.”
Clarifying Medical Procedures
The WSJ report also brought to light a discrepancy in Trump’s past descriptions of his medical imaging. While he had previously claimed to have received an MRI in 2025, he and his doctor clarified to the newspaper that the procedure was, in fact, a CT scan. “It wasn’t an MRI,” Trump confirmed. “It was less than that. It was a scan.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that officials had consistently referred to the procedure as “advanced imaging,” a term that could encompass both MRI and CT scans. White House physician Sean Barbabella further explained that the medical team opted for a CT scan to “definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues” after considering both MRI and CT scan options.
As the nation looks towards future political cycles, the health and cognitive fitness of potential leaders continue to be subjects of intense public and media scrutiny, exemplified by the ongoing discussions surrounding former President Trump’s declarations.
