Trump says White House candidates SHOULD take mental competency tests

Former President Donald Trump wants to require a 'stamina' assessment for would-be presidents – raising the stakes on Nikki Haley's call for a mental competency test. 

Trump, 76, whose White House physician said in 2018 that he would benefit from a low carb diet and 'a routine exercise regiment,' said the physical component should be in addition to the mental test.

Trump famously bragged about acing his own mental acuity test while he was in office. It was later revealed the assessment asked respondents such basic questions as distinguishing an elephant from a camel.

'ANYBODY running for the Office of President of the United States should agree to take a full & complete Mental Competency Test simultaneously (or before!) with the announcement that he or she is running, & likewise, but to a somewhat lesser extent, agree to a test which would prove that you are physically capable of doing the job,' Trump posted on his Truth Social site.

Being president 'requires great mental acuity & physical stamina,' said former President Donald Trump, who called for candidates to pass tests in both areas

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has called for mental competency tests for politicians over 75, and has called President Biden unfit

Trump's idea comes days after Biden, 80 had his annual physical exam

'Being an outstanding President requires great mental acuity & physical stamina. If you don't have these qualities or traits, it is likely you won't succeed. MAGA!'

Trump's proposal comes days after White House physician Col. Kevin O'Connor declared Biden a 'healthy' and 'vigorous' 80-year-old who is fit for office following his annual physical on Thursday at Walter Reed.

The exam did not include a cognitive test despite calls by Republicans amid his penchant for gaffes and occasional misstatements. The exam revealed Biden had a lesion on his chest that has been sent for cancer screening.

Haley, 51, launched her presidential campaign with a call for politicians older than 75, who she said are past their 'prime,' to get mental competency tests. 

'When people send someone to Washington, they need to know they're at the top of their game. That's why I think those competency tests are important,' she told Fox & Friends last week.  'We can't have someone like Joe Biden, who's asleep at the wheel, and have China sitting there threatening us and us wondering if he actually knows what's going on,' she said.

Trump famously boasted in July 2020 that he sought a cognitive test amid critics who questioned his mental acuity.

'It was 30 or 35 questions. The first questions are very easy. The last questions are much more difficult. Like a memory question,' Trump said in an interview with Fox. 'It's like, you'll go 'Person, woman, man, camera, TV.' So, they say, 'Could you repeat that?' So, I said, 'Yeah. So, it's: Person, woman, man, camera, TV.' OK, that's very good. If you get it in order, you get extra points,' Trump explained. 

Interviewer Chris Wallace told him: 'I took the [cognitive] test too, when I heard you passed it. It's not the hardest test. It shows a picture and it says, "What's that?"' and it's an elephant.'  

Trump posted the idea on his Truth Social site

Trump famously bragged about acing a cognitive test while in office

The slam came while Biden was in Poland after making a stealth visit inside Ukraine