President Joe Biden’s behavior dating back at least to the 2020 campaign has sparked serious concerns about his cognitive function and ability to handle the job.
The president’s age — he was the oldest president-elect in U.S. history and became the first octogenarian to serve in the position — has also prompted speculation about his physical health.
His handlers in the White House are not helping matters with their nonchalant attitude regarding his yearly medical exam. Although his last physical was in November 2021, the White House has once again postponed his next one, which is now scheduled for Feb. 16.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre previously fielded a reporter’s question on the matter by indicating that he would receive a physical by the end of January.
“I’ve spoken to this a couple of times,” she said last month. “He will have one … by the time the end of this month is out. And so we will do the same that we did the last time in — back in 2021 … where we provide, with full transparency, his medical, physical.”
Two months earlier, the president assured Americans that he had already completed “part” of his annual physical and that the remainder would be completed “before the end of the year.”
As for what has caused the repeated delays, the administration blamed his “busy and evolving travel schedule in recent weeks.”
In addition to checking his physical health, many concerned Americans also want to see evidence of a mental evaluation, which was missing from the publicly released results of his most recent exam.
Biden’s cognitive issues continue to evolve & worsen. There’s NO DOUBT it's being covered up by the White House. Biden's upcoming physical better have a legitimate & objective cognitive exam. Trump did it, he should too! If anything's wrong with Biden, you DESERVE to know! pic.twitter.com/1xWmp7oUHx
— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) February 1, 2023
Around the time of Biden’s 2021 physical, former President Donald Trump — who touted the results of his own cognitive exam — suggested that such testing should be mandatory, particularly for presidents of a certain age.
“We need somebody that’s at the top of the game,” he told Fox News Channel personality Sean Hannity at the time. “Maybe it should be mandated that you take a cognitive test or something. You can’t have the head of China, the head of Russia, the head of these powerful nations being at the top of their game. Look at what’s happening. Look how weak we look.”
U.S. Rep. Scot DesJarlais (R-TN) expressed a similar opinion in a recent interview.
The physician-turned-politician said that “it would be important to see a very thorough and comprehensive cognitive function study that is released with transparency to the general public,” adding: “The American people want to know that their commander in chief is fully capable of performing at the highest level to protect the safety and security of our nation.”
