Donald Trump, now 78 years old, recently told reporters that he took a cognitive test during his physical examination and scored 100% on every question. He proudly said, “I got every answer right. I think I did well,” while flying on Air Force One. Trump also added that he has “a good heart” and “a very good soul.”
While this might sound impressive at first, it’s essential to understand the specific test he took and its actual significance.
The test Trump is likely talking about is called the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, or MoCA. This test was made in 1996 by Dr. Ziad Nasreddine. The purpose of this test is not to measure intelligence, but rather to help doctors identify early signs of dementia or other memory-related issues. It is not intended to indicate how intelligent or astute someone is. Dr. Nasreddine himself explained, “This is not an IQ test… The test is supposed to help physicians detect early signs of Alzheimer’s.”
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The test is quite simple. People taking it are asked to do things like name some animals in pictures, draw a clock with the hands pointing to a specific time, or remember and repeat a few words, such as “person, woman, man, camera, TV.” These were the exact words Trump repeated again and again back in 2020 when he first bragged about taking this test. He told Fox News at the time, “If you get it in order you get extra points. Trump said “nobody gets it in order, it’s actually not that easy.” He also said, “That’s not an easy question.”
But here’s the truth: it is meant to be easy. That’s how doctors find out if someone might have memory issues. If it were difficult, it wouldn’t work well for spotting early warning signs.
Trump has often treated this test as a significant achievement, even during his first term. Now, during his 2025 physical exam, he’s doing the same thing. Trump also said he took “every test you can imagine” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and that he chose to take the cognitive test because he wanted to be “a little different” from Joe Biden.
When reporters asked what the test was called, Trump couldn’t even give a straight answer. He said, “I think it’s a pretty well-known test. Whatever it is, I got every one — I got it all right.” That response didn’t give people much confidence.
And just when you think it couldn’t get stranger, back in October, Trump made duck sounds at a town hall event, except he said “frack” instead of “quack.” No one really knew what to make of that, but it didn’t help his image.
Bragging about passing a basic memory test isn’t exactly impressive. Sure, it’s reassuring to know you can complete it, but most people don’t see it as something to boast about.
Featured image via Screengrab
