“Call me tyrant or dictator, not dumb”: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump said he does not mind being called a “tyrant” or “dictator” but strongly objected to being described as “dumb”, using a rally in New York to defend his mental fitness and cognitive abilities. The remarks were made during an event focused on affordability issues, where he also referred to criticism of his intelligence and health.

According to the report, Trump deviated from prepared remarks and recounted what he described as a conversation with his doctor after questions were raised about his cognitive condition. The 79-year-old president said the criticism led him to undergo cognitive testing to counter allegations regarding his mental sharpness.

Trump told supporters, “They hit me with a bad one: He’s a dumb person,” and added that he would rather be described as a “brilliant tyrant dictator” than unintelligent. He also made comments about the wording of the criticism while addressing the crowd.

He said he asked his doctor about a cognitive test and described it as beginning with simple object identification before moving on to more complex arithmetic questions involving multiplication, division and subtraction. Trump claimed he answered all questions correctly and presented this as evidence of his mental sharpness.

The remarks have again drawn attention to Trump’s repeated public references to cognitive assessments, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a screening tool used to identify possible cognitive impairment or dementia. He has frequently stated in public appearances that he has passed such tests.

Trump is expected to undergo another medical evaluation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as part of a scheduled health check-up. The comments come amid ongoing political debate in the United States over the age and mental fitness of senior political leaders, with both supporters and critics continuing to scrutinise public appearances and statements.