Trump's Cognitive Test Explained After President Claims Four 'Perfect' Scores

President Trump has talked a lot about his cognitive test results, but the bigger question for many people is what the test actually involves.

Trump, 79, said the tests went 'PERFECTLY' after a three-hour visit to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre. The comments added to the ongoing public focus on his age, health, and fitness for office.

The test he referred to as a 'difficult cognitive test' is believed to be the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, better known as the MoCA. It is a short screening tool, not an IQ exam, and is commonly used to check for possible signs of cognitive decline.

Why the test has become a political talking point

Presidential health has long been a public issue in the US, especially when the person in office is older. Trump has often used his cognitive test results to argue that he remains sharp enough for the job, while critics and supporters continue to debate what those scores actually prove.

The Associated Press reported that Sean Patrick Barbabella said Trump scored 30 out of 30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment during his recent Walter Reed exam, while also describing him as fully fit for presidential duties Associated Press.

The key detail is what the test is designed to do. A perfect MoCA score can sound like an intelligence score, but the test is mainly used to screen for possible cognitive problems, not to rank how smart someone is.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, or MoCA, is a screening test that usually takes about 10 minutes. Doctors use it to help spot mild cognitive impairment and early signs of dementia.

It checks several areas at once, including attention, memory, language, and executive function. On the test, a score of 26 or higher out of 30 is usually considered normal.

Scores from 18 to 25 can point toward mild cognitive impairment, though the result is not meant to stand alone. A person's education level and wider medical exam can also affect how doctors interpret the score.

Donald Trump took the tests at the Walter Reed Medical Hospital on Tuesday Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

What questions are on the MoCA?

The MoCA includes a mix of tasks, and many of them may sound simple when written out. The point is not to ask trivia questions, but to check different parts of memory, attention, and problem-solving.

One section asks the person to name an animal shown in a drawing. Another asks them to draw a clock and set the hands to a specific time, which tests more than just whether someone knows what a clock looks like.

There is also a memory task where the person hears a short list of five words and has to repeat them back. In the version seen by UNILAD, the words were: leg, cotton, school, tomato, white.

Another part of the test asks an abstract-thinking question. For example, the person may need to explain what two words have in common, such as banana and orange.

In the attention section, the person taking the test hears a long list of letters and has to tap their hand on the desk every time they hear the letter A. It is a simple-sounding task, but it checks whether someone can follow a rule while staying focused.

The test also includes timed recall and number tasks. One question asks the person to name as many words beginning with B as they can in one minute, while another asks them to repeat a sequence of three numbers backward.

Donald Trump has been boasting he got 30/30 from the MoCA cognitive test Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

What did Trump say about the tests?

Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Unlike other US Presidents, none of whom have ever taken an approved, high difficulty, Cognitive Test, I scored a perfect 30 out of 30, considered 'extreme intelligence'."

"In fact, this is my fourth such test, all PERFECT or 120 correct answers out of 120 questions asked! It is very rare that anyone gets a Perfect Score, especially when achieved four times in a row."

Presidential Doctor Sean Patrick Barbabella said in a statement that Trump was 'fully fit' to be president. That conclusion came after a CT scan, heart imaging, preventative assessments, and cancer screenings.

Other health results showed that Trump weighed 238 pounds, or 108 kg. That was 14 pounds, or 6 kg, higher than his recorded weight during a medical exam in April 2025.

His doctors gave him guidance on diet, physical activity, and weight loss, but still concluded that his "cognitive and physical performance are excellent."

At 6 feet 3 inches, or 1.9 meters, Trump's body mass index was listed as 29.7. Doctors generally consider a BMI of 30 to be in the obese range, putting his listed figure just below that line.

Where can I see the Trump cognitive test?

Professionals and researchers have to register to access the latest version of the MoCA. However, the 2018 version follows the same general question format and is freely available online through this MoCA test PDF.

For anyone trying it at home, it is worth remembering that the MoCA is designed as a clinical screening tool. A high score can be reassuring, but it does not replace a full medical assessment by a trained professional.