Journalist Jim Acosta used the Saturday episode of his show to take the cognitive test that President Donald Trump has boasted about taking and acing three times.
Why Acosta Took the Test
“We’re doing this to drive home a point that this is not something that a president should be bragging about, that he aces these tests, and also just to see what it’s like,” Acosta told guest Dr. Rob Davidson, physician and executive director of advocacy group The Committee to Protect Health Care.
Earlier this month, Trump bragged about taking a test that, based on his descriptions of some of the questions, is widely believed to be the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, an exam intended to detect signs of cognitive decline and dementia.
“I’ve taken three,” Trump said. “No president, think of this, has ever taken one.” Trump griped that the media only describes the easiest questions that come at the beginning of the test, explaining that “by the time you get to the middle, they’re tough” and “when you get to those last questions, they’re pretty hard.”
Acosta's Test Performance
In his video, Acosta can be seen taking the test in full. Some of the more difficult questions included copying a cube drawing and counting backward from 100 by sevens. Other questions included identifying animals, repeating back numbers and words, and drawing a clock. The former CNN White House correspondent missed one point when he forgot one of several words that had been said to him a few minutes prior. Under the test’s scoring system, that still rounded up to a perfect score.
“I totally aced it,” he says in a voice imitating Trump’s. He noted that he didn’t want to mock the test or those who need to take it for diagnostic purposes. “I shouldn’t joke too much because there are people who have taken this, and families go through all this stuff, and whatnot,” he said. “But I will say that it is totally nuts that he claims that this is some sort of measurement of his IQ.”
Trump's Challenges to Lawmakers
Last year, Trump called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) “low IQ,” challenging the two of them to go head-to-head with him on the cognitive tests. “They’re really aptitude tests, I guess, in a certain way, but they’re cognitive tests,” he said. “Let AOC go against Trump. Let Jasmine go against Trump.”
Acosta characterized taking the test himself as an eye-opening experience. “I think this is instructive and I’m glad we did this,” he told Davidson. Recapping the test-taking experience with the doctor, Acosta said, “You were asking me what city I’m in. You’re asking me what day of the week it is. You’re asking me what a lion is. You know, this is very basic stuff.”
