Trump claims perfect score on third cognitive test, attacks NYT journalist over new book on his presidency
The 80-year-old US president said he had just undergone a perfect medical examination at Walter Reed and requested another cognitive test, while launching a sharp attack on New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman.
The president's health claims
Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he had recently passed a perfect medical examination at the Walter Reed military hospital near Washington. The president, who turned 80 in June, stated he had also requested another cognitive test. He claimed to be the only president to have taken such a test three times, asserting he answered every question correctly on all occasions. Trump suggested that few people in Washington could achieve a similar result.
The White House last reported on Trump's health following a check-up at Walter Reed in May. At that time, the president's physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, issued an assessment stating Trump remained in excellent health.
President Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting good cardiac, pulmonary, and neurological function as well as general physical fitness.
The doctor also noted Trump experiences mild lower leg swelling and minor bruising on his hands. A comprehensive neurological examination, including screening for depression and anxiety disorders, showed a normal mental state, according to Barbabella's findings.
Attack on journalists and their new book
Trump's health declarations were embedded in a post attacking New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman, whose name he misspelled. The president accused the White House correspondent of portraying him in a false manner for years. His criticism was directed at a new book co-authored by Haberman and Jonathan Swan, titled "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump."
Trump dismissed the publication as a joke, claiming 90 percent of it consisted of fake news. He urged his supporters not to buy the book, calling it a piece of junk. The president also referenced an ongoing multi-billion-dollar lawsuit against the New York Times, predicting the case would reach court soon and that the newspaper would pay for its reporting.
Her book is a joke! 90 percent of it is fake news. She sustains herself through her unreliable journalism and will pay for it when our multi-billion-dollar lawsuit against the declining New York Times reaches court, which shouldn't take long.
Journalists respond on health transparency
Haberman appeared on MSNBC on Saturday, where she commented that Trump's health status remains shrouded in secrecy within his administration, more so than almost any other issue. She noted that the president is 80 years old and does not speak with the same clarity he did 30, 20, or even 10 years ago, describing this as entirely typical and understandable for someone in their eighties.
Jonathan Swan added that Trump's thinking patterns in his current term differ markedly from those seen during his first presidency.
Scrutiny of mental fitness
Questions about Trump's cognitive abilities have intensified in recent months. In May, 30 psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, and doctors published an unprecedented statement in the British Medical Journal declaring the US president mentally unfit to serve. The statement came amid a series of incidents noted by critics, including a verbal slip at the NATO summit in Ankara where Trump referred to 111 rockets fired by the Islamic Republic of Japan, confusing Iran with Japan, and later mixed up the Ukrainian and Russian presidents during a press briefing.
Trump's Truth Social post did not address the broader questions raised by medical professionals or his public gaffes. He instead focused solely on his claimed test results.
- 30 psychiatrists and doctors declare Trump mentally unfit in the British Medical Journal.
- Trump undergoes examination at Walter Reed; Dr. Barbabella reports excellent health with mild edema and bruising.
- Trump celebrates his 80th birthday.
- Trump posts on Truth Social claiming a perfect medical exam and a third passed cognitive test, attacks Haberman's book.
- Haberman and Swan appear on MSNBC, criticize health transparency; story covered by multiple Polish outlets.
What the tests reveal
Dr. Barbabella's May report highlighted that a comprehensive neurological examination, including screening for depression and anxiety disorders, demonstrated a normal mental state. The physician also observed mild edema in the lower legs and slight bruising on the hands. The White House has not released the full medical records or detailed cognitive test results, maintaining the administration's practice of limited health disclosures. Trump's request for an additional cognitive test, confirmed by the White House according to Reuters, adds a third formal assessment to his record, a frequency unmatched by any of his predecessors.
