Top Doctor Gives Trump, 79, Some Advice About His Favorite Health Brag
Jonathan Reiner questioned why the president is proud that he can “identify a camel and subtract 7 from 100.”
A former White House physician has suggested Donald Trump stop “bragging” about passing cognitive tests designed to identify people with dementia.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who served as former Vice President Dick Cheney’s cardiologist during the George W. Bush administration, offered the advice after the 79-year-old once again boasted about having “aced” the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a test used to detect cognitive impairment or early signs of Alzheimer’s.
“I’m the only president that ever took a cognitive test. I took it three times. It’s actually a very hard test for a lot of people,” Trump said Thursday.
“It starts off with an easy question, and by the time you get to the middle—it gets tougher—by the time you get to the end, very few people can answer those questions. They get very tough, mathematical equations and things. I took it three times. I aced it all three times.”
Jonathan Reiner speaking during Dick Cheney's funeral in November 2025.
Jonathan Ernst/Jonathan Ernst
While sharing a clip of Trump’s remarks, Reiner suggested a president boasting about passing a 10-minute test, which can involve drawing the hands on a clock to indicate a certain time and identifying animals, is not the best look.
“If I were one of the president’s advisers, I would beg him to stop bragging about doing well on a dementia screening tool which requires the patient to identify a camel and subtract 7 from 100,” Reiner posted on X.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
“I do agree that all candidates for POTUS should have comprehensive physical exams, and the data should be made public. The president’s next annual comprehensive examination is due next month.”
There have long been concerns about the physical and mental well-being of the 79-year-old president.
Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERS
In response, White House spokesperson Olivia Wales attacked the Daily Beast and claimed “President Trump’s mental sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast” to the Biden administration.
“Unlike the Biden White House, President Trump and his entire team have been fully open and transparent about the President’s health, which remains exceptional.”
Trump, who is on course to become the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, took the MoCA in April 2025 as part of his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, Trump’s physician, declared that the president “exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health” and, bizarrely, cited his “frequent victories in golf events” as part of his active lifestyle.
Trump’s numerous mental and physical frailties have been well documented by the Daily Beast since his return to the White House.
This includes frequently appearing in public with mysterious bruises on his hands, which he has attempted to cover with mismatched makeup. Trump has also tried to hide his swollen “cankles” from view, a symptom of the medical condition chronic venous insufficiency, which he reportedly treats with an unrecommended amount of daily aspirin.
The president has faced concerns about his apparent cognitive decline, highlighted by his rambling and often incoherent public speaking and claims that are not based in reality.
Trump has repeatedly dismissed these concerns by stating that he has “aced” cognitive tests but has never explained why he needs to take so many such exams in the first place.
Dark bruises have been appearing on Donald Trump's hands since February 2025.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Reiner has also repeatedly raised concerns about the president’s physical and mental well-being, including calling for a “bipartisan congressional inquiry” into his fitness.
Earlier this month, Reiner raised the alarm after the erratic Trump began talking about decorating his White House ballroom vanity project with gold curtains when he was meant to be providing updates on the war in Iran.
“It’s very odd to talk about this topic at this time,” Reiner, now a CNN medical analyst, posted on X.
Trump also appeared at the March 2 event with a horrendous red rash on the side of his neck, the latest in a long list of ailments the president appears to suffer from.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…