Joe Biden hit with fresh cognitive test demand as bombshell report exposes mental decline
Joe Biden is facing a barrage of calls to take a cognitive test over his mental health state and make those results public.
Calls are mounting for President Joe Biden to undergo a cognitive test and release the results publicly, following a bombshell report that questions his mental sharpness.
The 81-year-old US president has been at the centre of several embarrassing moments in the run-up to November's US presidential election.
Now, the Wall Street Journal has published a detailed account suggesting Biden struggles with memory issues, confusion over policy details, and often speaks so softly that aides find it difficult to hear him.
The report is based on interviews with 45 insiders and notes that Biden sometimes closes his eyes for long periods during meetings.
The Wall Street Journal report also described Biden as increasingly reliant on notes and assistance from aides.
In a January meeting on Ukraine funding, Biden was described as slow to engage and reliant on prepared notes. Similarly, during debt ceiling negotiations in May, he reportedly struggled with consistency and detail retention.
Dr Stuart Fischer, a New York City internal medicine physician, stressed the need for Biden to take a cognitive test to reassure the public.
The expert also expressed confusion over the reluctance from Biden’s medical team, adding: "He is a doctor, not a spin doctor, he is a medical doctor... who took an oath, like I did, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. His patient should come first."
In response to the Wall Street Journal report, the White House dismissed the allegations as partisan attacks, asserting that President Biden remains a sharp and vigorous leader.
Biden's most recent physical examination was in February, conducted by his physician Dr Kevin O'Connor, who reported the 81-year-old is "fit, active, robust" and noted "no new concerns" about his health.
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However, no cognitive tests were performed, though a comprehensive neurological exam ruled out conditions such as a stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease.
Former Republican candidate Nikki Haley called for Biden to take the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a widely respected test designed to identify mild cognitive dysfunction.
Dr Ziad Nasreddine, the test's creator, recommended its use if there are concerns about cognitive performance, stating: "If I am President Biden's physician, I would administer the MoCA test to him if he or I were concerned about his cognitive performance."