‘Don’t mind being called a tyrant, a dictator, but don’t want to be called stupid:’ Trump flaunts mental prowess at New York rally | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump got candid on Friday (local time) about the type of criticism that bothers him the most, saying he particularly dislikes being called “stupid”, adding that he doesn’t mind being called a “tyrant” or a “dictator”.
Trump made the remarks while addressing supporters in New York at a campaign-style appearance in the Hudson Valley alongside Republican Congressman Mike Lawler. He said he hated the “stupid” insult so much that he asked his doctor for a test he could take to prove his critics wrong.
The 79-year-old US president said, “I’m the smartest person you’ll ever meet,” and followed up with the question, “Don’t you want a smart person for president?”
Trump Deflects From Economic News; focuses on mental fitness
Although the rally was ostensibly about affordability, Trump steered away from economic news and focused on a lengthy defense of his intelligence and mental acuity. He even digressed to share a conversation he had with his doctor following the controversy surrounding his “mental fitness.”
Recalling the interview, Trump said: “They hit me the wrong way: ‘He’s a stupid person.'” He added: “I said, ‘Doc, I don’t mind being called a brilliant tyrant or a dictator, but I don’t want to be called stupid.'”
Narrating the conversation to the audience, the US president went on to say that he asked the doctor if there was any kind of test he could undergo. The doctor suggested a cognitive test. Trump said he then asked how many presidents had accepted it and was told none. He also recalled being asked if the test was difficult, adding that while the questions start out easy, they get much harder towards the end.
Trump attacks Democrats
During a roughly 90-minute speech in the Hudson Valley, Trump moved quickly from topic to topic, including inflation, crime, immigration, voter ID laws and jabs at his predecessor, Joe Biden. During the event, he criticized Democrats, constantly referring to them as “dumocrats”, a term he began to use frequently as he urged his supporters to get politically involved ahead of the congressional elections.
Trump brags about his mental fitness
Previously, the American president constantly boasted several times about “successful” cognitive tests. In April, he criticized his Democratic predecessors, saying that every presidential or vice presidential candidate must pass cognitive tests before running.
In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “Anyone running for president or vice president should be forced to take a cognitive test before entering the race! We wouldn’t be surprised if people like Barack ‘Hussein’ Obama or ‘Sleepy’ Joe Biden get ‘elected’.”
Trump endorses Lawler
The Hudson Valley rally 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 key role in deciding control of Congress.
