# Is Trump confused? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 24, 2024, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589 "2024-01-24T13:53:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/221 "2024-02-29T21:13:40Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > It’s not like it’s an either/or situation. > > I know which I wouldn’t mind running the country and which one I think shouldn’t even be put in charge of putting toys away at naptime. > > But it’s also true that part of the reason we’re in this jam and have suffered through several series of mishaps is that people think they can safely ignore professional expertise, safely make snap judgments on their own, and just generally treat things like ethics and expertise and evidence with contempt. I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said, and I agree that those opining as professionals have a duty to stick to high ethical standards. They shouldn’t be making diagnoses of dementia from afar. But that said, just as I can quickly intuit a weirdo out in the wild whom I wish to avoid, the instinctual “hink” factor I’ve learned never to ignore, I can watch Trump and size him up with a reasonable assurance that he is a scary, non-normal person who has no business being anywhere near the levers of government. His mental deficiencies are on display for all to see. Those who can watch and listen to him yet still conclude otherwise, scare me, too. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/222 "2024-02-29T21:26:42Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > To be clear, the MiniMental Status Exam requires knowing some advanced material, including: As I’ve said before, this is the test my Aunt took to determine if she could stay in her room in the care facility, or if she needed to be transferred to the locked dementia ward. So congrats to Trump; He’s able to stay in his room in the care facility. And that’s really all he should be doing at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/223 "2024-02-29T21:26:53Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > counting backwards from 100 by sevens Do I get half credit for answering “ninety-three…uh…” counting on my fingers, and then pulling out my phone? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/224 "2024-02-29T21:28:59Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Do I get half credit for answering “ninety-three…uh…” counting on my fingers, and then pulling out my phone? Do they let you use a pencil? I could do it with a pencil. I’d think it was busy-work, but I could do it. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/225 "2024-02-29T21:54:16Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > counting backwards from 100 by sevens That is a bigly unfair question as you would not end with zero. The Big State™ is so wicked! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/226 "2024-02-29T21:59:56Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Do they let you use a pencil? I could do it with a pencil. I’d think it was busy-work, but I could do it. Whaddaya mean, “Do ‘they’ _let_ you?” Who’s going to stop you? I worked with a social worker who used to give these tests as part of her job. She said it is entirely permissible to use a pen & paper to work out the answers. Especially to remember the _“I’m gonna give you five words then ask you later”_ test. She said this is **not** a memory test-- it’s a test of cognitive ability, and if you have enough brainpower/mental capacity/marbles to think of writing down the words, then by all means, do it. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/227 "2024-02-29T22:03:41Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > She said this is **not** a memory test-- it’s a test of cognitive ability, and if you have enough brainpower/mental capacity/marbles to think of writing down the words, then by all means, do it. Damn! I’d never have thought of that. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/228 "2024-02-29T22:08:26Z")
Part of the test _is_ memory. Not sure every examiner would allow that. Of course, validation of the test is based on the contents of the original paper. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/229 "2024-02-29T22:19:50Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Damn! I’d never have thought of that. OK, please report to the locked dementia ward. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/230 "2024-02-29T22:24:07Z")
Maybe later. I might remember the items. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/231 "2024-02-29T22:29:02Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Not sure every examiner would allow that. How are they going to stop you? They certainly can’t “flunk” you for being clever. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/232 "2024-02-29T22:40:51Z")
Bear spray^? Tasers^? Yeah, I’d agree those things sound like an overreaction. I’ve never actually seen anyone try to write reminders down in the hundreds of times I’ve given the test. But it is a pretty practical real life solution to poor memory. ^Not really, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/233 "2024-02-29T22:51:59Z")
I’d be such a pain in the ass if I took this test. > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > That is a bigly unfair question as you would not end with zero. It doesn’t end at all. I kept going into negative numbers. > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > identifying a pen and watch; knowing their use “Well, this round thing lets me tell the time. And the pointy thing lets me write down the words you want me to remember.” ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/234 "2024-02-29T23:10:08Z")
I’m not going to trust the “diagnosis” of someone who has just watched Trump’s speeches. I know that someone had the analogy of not needing to be a meteorologist to know if it’s raining, but being able to tell if water is falling out of the sky and being able to diagnose a mental disorder are two very different things. It’s like saying that since you can pick up a pencil you can fly a jet plane. On the other hand, it’s obvious that _something_ is wrong with him. And I’m not sure that it matters what it is. A diagnosis isn’t necessary. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/235 "2024-02-29T23:35:04Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I’ve never actually seen anyone try to write reminders down in the hundreds of times I’ve given the test. I attribute that to a lack of imagination on the part of the test takers. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/236 "2024-02-29T23:35:17Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > On the other hand, it’s obvious that _something_ is wrong with him. And I’m not sure that it matters what it is. A diagnosis isn’t necessary. This. I don’t need a formal diagnosis of what’s wrong with him to know there’s something seriously, scarily wrong with him. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/237 "2024-02-29T23:56:32Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Do they let you use a pencil? I could do it with a pencil. I’d think it was busy-work, but I could do it. Well, part of the test is how well you organize yourself to answer the question. Someone who really is in decline would still have difficulty, even using a pencil or a calculator, because they’d likely not remember what the point of the exercise was by the time they found a pencil, et al. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/238 "2024-03-01T00:05:09Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It’s like saying that since you can pick up a pencil you can fly a jet plane. Actually, I _can_ fly a plane. OK, not a turbine-powered one, but still… ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/239 "2024-03-01T01:51:51Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Cousin Greg Snopes says the Mercedes/Melania thing wasn’t a thing. > **[No, Trump Did Not Refer To His Wife Melania as 'Mercedes' at CPAC 2024](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mercedes-melania-trump/)** > > A clip from the former president's speech at CPAC provided fodder for late night television, but was stripped of relevant context. Doesn’t change that he’s senile/demented, though. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/240 "2024-03-01T02:43:06Z")
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