US President on Friday (local time) opened up about the type of criticism that bothers him most, saying that he particularly dislikes being called “dumb,” adding that he doesn’t mind being called a “tyrant” or a “dictator.”
Trump made these remarks while addressing supporters in New York at a campaign-style appearance in the Hudson Valley alongside Republican Congressman Mike Lawler. He said he hates the insult “dumb” so much that he asked his doctor for a test he could take to prove his critics wrong.
The 79-year-old said, “I’m the smartest guy you’re ever going to meet,” and followed it up with a question: “Don’t you want to have a smart person as president?”
Trump veers off from economic messaging; focuses on mental fitness
Despite the rally being supposedly about affordability, Trump veered away from economic messaging and directed his focus to a lengthy defense of his intelligence and mental sharpness. He even digressed to share a conversation he had with his doctor following controversy surrounding his “.”
Recalling the conversation, Trump said, “They hit me with a bad one: ‘He’s a dumb person.’” He added, “I said, ‘Doctor, I don’t mind being called a brilliant tyrant or dictator, but I don’t want to be called dumb.’”
Narrating the conversation to the audience, the US President went on to say that he asked the doctor whether there was any kind of test he could take. The doctor suggested a cognitive test. Trump said he then asked how many presidents had taken it and was told none had. He also recalled asking whether the test was difficult, adding that while the questions begin easily, they become much harder toward the end.
Trump lashes out at Democrats
During the roughly 90-minute speech in the Hudson Valley, Trump shifted rapidly from topic to topic, including inflation, crime, immigration, voter ID laws, and jabs at his predecessor, . During the event, he slammed Democrats and constantly referred to them as “Dumocrats,” a term he has started using frequently as he urged supporters to be politically engaged ahead of the congressional elections.
Trump boasts about his mental fitness
Previously, the US President has constantly boasted about “acing” cognitive tests multiple times. In April, he slammed his Democratic predecessors, stating that any presidential or vice presidential candidate must go through cognitive tests before running for office.
In a Truth Social post, he wrote, “Anybody running for President or Vice President should be forced to take a Cognitive Examination prior to entering the race! By doing so, we wouldn’t be surprised at people like Barack ‘Hussein’ Obama or ‘Sleepy’ Joe Biden getting ‘elected.’”
Trump backs Lawler
The rally in the Hudson Valley was organized in support of Republican candidate Lawler, one of the few House Republicans representing a district won by former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2024. According to media reports, New York’s 17th Congressional District is likely to be one of the most competitive House races in Washington and could play a crucial role in deciding control of Congress.
