President Donald Trump complained about reports of his cognitive decline in a lengthy Truth Social screed Tuesday night.
Shortly after leaving a rally in Pennsylvania, where he delivered a 90-minute speech focused on affordability, the president published a 488-word rant defending himself against concerns that his well-being is in decline.
In the post, Trump boasted about his accomplishments since taking office and his excellent health while also calling out The New York Times for its reporting on the issue.
“There has never been a President that has worked as hard as me! My hours are the longest, and my results are among the best,” the president wrote, before going on to list some of his purported achievements, including stopping eight wars and boosting the economy.
“In addition to all of that,” he continued, ”I go out of my way to do long, thorough, and very boring Medical Examinations at the Great Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, seen and supervised by top doctors, all of whom have given me PERFECT Marks — Some have even said they have never seen such Strong Results.”
“I do these Tests because I owe it to our Country.”
He went on to boast about the results he achieved in his cognitive tests, despite previously describing them as “very hard.”
“I ACED all three of them in front of large numbers of doctors and experts, most of whom I do not know,” he said of the examinations.
”I have been told that few people have been able to ‘ace’ this Examination and, in fact, most do very poorly, which is why many other Presidents have decided not to take it at all.”
He continued his rant by decrying The New York Times as “seditious, perhaps even treasonous” and “true enemies of the people” for publishing “FAKE reports in order to libel and demean him.”
The Times published a report last month about adjustments to the president’s schedule during his second term, finding that he has made fewer public appearances this year compared to his first year in office, and that his days are shorter.
It also published an opinion piece on Monday about the president’s declining vigor, with author Frank Bruni writing that Trump was “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.”
“The best thing that could happen to this Country would be if The New York Times would cease publication because they are a horrible, biased, and untruthful ‘source’ of information,” Trump concluded. “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The president has endured increased scrutiny about his health during his second term, owing both to his age and the White House’s initial refusal to disclose basic facts about his physicals to the public, including the reason he was made to undergo an MRI.
The White House eventually claimed that the president had undergone an MRI as a preventative measure due to his advanced age, a theory medical experts were quick to question, arguing that MRIs were still uncommon for presidential physicals.
He has also faced scrutiny because of ever-present bruising and bandages on his hands, which Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has claimed is because of aspirin use and the number of hands he is required to shake on a daily basis. Bandages have been visible on his right hand for the past week.
“President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history,” Leavitt previously told the Daily Beast. “His commitment is unwavering and he proves that every single day.”
