A former White House physician has suggested Donald Trump stop “bragging” about passing cognitive tests designed to identify people with dementia.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who served as former Vice President Dick Cheney’s cardiologist during the George W. Bush administration, offered the advice after the 79-year-old once again boasted about having “aced” the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a test used to detect cognitive impairment or early signs of Alzheimer’s.
“I’m the only president that ever took a cognitive test. I took it three times. It’s actually a very hard test for a lot of people,” Trump said Thursday.
“It starts off with an easy question, and by the time you get to the middle—it gets tougher—by the time you get to the end, very few people can answer those questions. They get very tough, mathematical equations and things. I took it three times. I aced it all three times.”
While sharing a clip of Trump’s remarks, Reiner suggested a president boasting about passing a 10-minute test, which can involve drawing the hands on a clock to indicate a certain time and identifying animals, is not the best look.
“If I were one of the president’s advisers, I would beg him to stop bragging about doing well on a dementia screening tool which requires the patient to identify a camel and subtract 7 from 100,” Reiner posted on X.
“I do agree that all candidates for POTUS should have comprehensive physical exams, and the data should be made public. The president’s next annual comprehensive examination is due next month.”
In response, White House spokesperson Olivia Wales attacked the Daily Beast and claimed “President Trump’s mental sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast” to the Biden administration.
“Unlike the Biden White House, President Trump and his entire team have been fully open and transparent about the President’s health, which remains exceptional.”
Trump, who is on course to become the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, took the MoCA in April 2025 as part of his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, Trump’s physician, declared that the president “exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health” and, bizarrely, cited his “frequent victories in golf events” as part of his active lifestyle.
Trump’s numerous mental and physical frailties have been well documented by the Daily Beast since his return to the White House.
This includes frequently appearing in public with mysterious bruises on his hands, which he has attempted to cover with mismatched makeup. Trump has also tried to hide his swollen “cankles” from view, a symptom of the medical condition chronic venous insufficiency, which he reportedly treats with an unrecommended amount of daily aspirin.
The president has faced concerns about his apparent cognitive decline, highlighted by his rambling and often incoherent public speaking and claims that are not based in reality.
Trump has repeatedly dismissed these concerns by stating that he has “aced” cognitive tests but has never explained why he needs to take so many such exams in the first place.
Reiner has also repeatedly raised concerns about the president’s physical and mental well-being, including calling for a “bipartisan congressional inquiry” into his fitness.
Earlier this month, Reiner raised the alarm after the erratic Trump began talking about decorating his White House ballroom vanity project with gold curtains when he was meant to be providing updates on the war in Iran.
“It’s very odd to talk about this topic at this time,” Reiner, now a CNN medical analyst, posted on X.
Trump also appeared at the March 2 event with a horrendous red rash on the side of his neck, the latest in a long list of ailments the president appears to suffer from.
