What cognitive tests has Trump taken publicly and what were the results or disclosures?
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
Public reporting shows President Trump has repeatedly said he has taken and “aced” multiple brief cognitive screenings — most frequently identified as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) — including in January 2018, April 2025 and “recently” in late 2025, and White House physicians have described his overall physical exams as “excellent” or “exceptional” [1] [2] [3]. Journalists and clinicians note that the MoCA is a short screening tool for cognitive impairment (not an IQ test) and that publicizing test content can undermine future administrations of it [4] [5].
1. What Trump says he took and when — a running tally
Trump has publicly claimed on multiple occasions that he took a short cognitive exam in January 2018 and received a perfect score, that he underwent the Montreal Cognitive Assessment as part of his April 2025 Walter Reed physical, and that he has now “aced” three such cognitive exams, the most recent taken during an October or early-December 2025 Walter Reed visit, according to his statements and White House memos [1] [2] [3].
2. The tests identified by reporting — MoCA referenced repeatedly
News coverage and the White House physician’s memo identify the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as the screening used in at least some of these exams; outlets describe the MoCA as a roughly 10-minute screening that includes tasks such as naming animals, drawing a clock and repeating words [1] [6] [2].
3. What results have been disclosed publicly
The public record contains Trump’s own claims that he “aced” these tests and in 2018 reported a 30/30 MoCA score (though original 2018 test papers have not been published), and White House physician statements released after the April 2025 exam describe the president as “in excellent health” or “exceptional,” but they do not publish full item-level cognitive test results or, in many cases, the raw scores [1] [3] [7].
4. How clinicians and reporters interpret those disclosures
Clinical and news analyses stress that the MoCA screens for mild cognitive impairment and is not a measure of IQ or broad cognitive prowess; experts told reporters the test is intended to detect early dementia rather than quantify intelligence [4] [5]. Some commentators caution that publicity around the test can bias future administrations [5].
5. Gaps, ambiguities and competing narratives
Available reporting leaves key details ambiguous: it is not always clear whether Trump referred to separate new MoCA administrations or to repeats of earlier tests, whether all three claimed tests were full MoCAs or different cognitive instruments, and whether advanced imaging referenced by the White House was brain MRI specifically — Trump himself said he “has no idea” what body part an October MRI targeted and insisted it “wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test” [1] [2] [8] [9]. Some sources treat his boasts as straightforward; others stress that the test’s simplicity undercuts claims that “acing” it proves superior intellect [6] [4].
6. Political framing and incentives in the coverage
Trump’s repeated publicization of test-taking and strong results is framed in multiple outlets as a form of political messaging to counter age and fitness questions; critics and some reporters see the announcements as rhetorical, while the White House presents physician memos saying results were “perfect” or “exceptional” [10] [3] [7]. Media outlets and clinicians warn that selectively released summaries can serve political aims while leaving clinicians and the public without the detailed data needed for independent evaluation [7] [5].
7. What reporting does not say (limitations)
Available sources do not publish full cognitive test protocols, item-level scores, or complete neuropsychological batteries; they do not confirm whether Trump underwent a full neuropsychological evaluation beyond brief screens, nor do they release raw MRI reports to corroborate whether imaging targeted the brain [1] [9]. Any stronger medical conclusions are therefore beyond what the current reporting documents.
8. Bottom line for readers
Reporting shows Trump has repeatedly taken brief cognitive screening tests (commonly reported as the MoCA) and has publicly claimed perfect or near-perfect results; White House memos describe his health favorably [1] [3]. Independent experts and journalists emphasize that the MoCA is a screening tool — not an IQ exam — and that the public disclosures lack the full clinical data needed to independently verify or assess longer-term cognitive function [4] [5].