Jeffries: ‘Fair' that Americans are questioning if Trump is ‘actually fit'
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said on Tuesday he thinks it's fair for Americans to be questioning whether President Trump is 'actually fit' to be commander-in-chief.
'Trump spent the last year-and-a-half questioning the cognitive ability of President Joe Biden, notwithstanding many of the legislative accomplishments that Donald Trump could only wish he got over the finish line,' Jeffries said in an interview on 'The MeidasTouch Podcast' on Tuesday.
'And so, I think it's fair that a lot of Americans across the country that I run into are questioning whether Donald Trump is actually fit, at this point, to be able to carry out the duties of the United States of America, in terms of being the president and the commander-in-chief,' the Democratic leader continued.
Jeffries was responding to host Ben Meiselas's question about whether 'more needs to be discussed about his [Trump's] cognitive abilities' after 100 days in office.
Meiselas cited as a basis for his question several examples of seemingly untrue or exaggerated comments Trump has made: from suggesting that he's already made 200 trade deals — when, Meiselas said, 'there's not 200 countries' — to 'saying he's having conversations with world leaders, and these conversations are not happening.'
Meiselas also pointed to the fact that a group of islands inhabited only by penguins and seals was on Trump's tariff list and that Trump broke with the dress code at Pope Francis's funeral.
Jeffries entertained cognitive decline as a possible explanation but suggested Trump could just be lying.
'We know that this is someone who has spent a lifetime lying in every aspect of his life, and he lies seamlessly,' Jeffries said. 'And, so, you just wonder whether the other explanation is that some of this is just his willingness to try to consistently lie to the American people.'
The Hill has reached out to the White House for a response.
Earlier this month, White House physician Sean Barbabella reported that Trump 'remains in excellent health' after his annual physical exam.
Barbabella said Trump also scored a 30 out of 30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a test commonly used to detect memory issues or cognitive impairment.
Trump — who repeatedly accused former President Biden of declining cognitive abilities — suggested he took the cognitive test partly as a dig at the former president.
'Overall I felt I was in very good shape. Good heart. A good soul. Very good soul,' Trump told reporters earlier this month. 'I took — I wanted to be a little different than Biden. I took a cognitive test. I don't know what to tell you other than I got every answer right.'
Trump is set to turn 79 in June. He will be 82 at the end of his term, which would make him the oldest individual to hold the office by just a few months over Biden when he left office in January.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
5 minutes ago
- New York Times
China Walks a Line in U.S. Trade Talks, Trying Not to Overplay Its Hand
In its high-stakes trade talks with the United States, China has been trying to strike a balance in how it wields its market clout. It controls the world's supply of rare earth metals and magnets. And it has withheld supplies of the materials — crucial ingredients in everything from cars to fighter jets — as leverage. At the same time, Beijing knows it must not overplay its hand by pushing Washington so hard that the United States feels compelled to make the long-term investments needed to break its dependence on China. This delicate dynamic was underlined in an apparent compromise the countries reached on Tuesday in London. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said China's negotiators had agreed to resume sending rare earths to American companies. The Chinese government did not confirm this. But on Wednesday afternoon, the JL Mag Rare-Earth Company, a leading magnet producer in Ganzhou, China, said in a public disclosure that it had been issued licenses by China's Ministry of Commerce for sales of nonmilitary magnet exports to the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia. China has a long history of using government policy to control markets, periodically flooding countries with very low-priced Chinese supplies. That has driven many of China's overseas rare earth competitors out of business. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sen. Mark Green's retirement leaves open field for Republicans, a 'longshot' for Democrats
Tennessee is expected to see a special election later this year to replace U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Tennessee, and political experts say it could bring an open field of Republican candidates. Regardless of who runs for Green's seat, experts say it would likely be a 'longshot' for any Democratic candidates as the district has a strong Republican hold. Green on June 9 announced his resignation from the 7th Congressional District, just months after his reelection, to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. His district represents a swath of rural counties in middle and west Tennessee, as well as Montgomery County and parts of Davidson and Williamson counties. 'It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from Congress," he said in a statement. "Recently, I was offered an opportunity in the private sector that was too exciting to pass up. As a result, today I notified the Speaker and the House of Representatives that I will resign from Congress as soon as the House votes once again on the reconciliation package." His office didn't respond to an interview request; it's unclear what the private sector opportunity is. Republicans hope to pass what President Donald Trump calls his 'big, beautiful bill' by July 4. If Green vacates his seat after voting on the bill, the state could see a special election this fall. Under Tennessee law, Gov. Bill Lee must order a special election within 10 days of Green's resignation and set a primary election date within 55 to 60 days. The state would then set a subsequent general election within 100 to 107 days. Green was reelected in November. His term expires in January 2027. Green, a 60-year-old doctor and military veteran who lives in Clarksville, was first elected to his seat in 2018. He announced in February 2024 that he would not seek a fourth term, characterizing the country and Congress as nearly irreversibly broken. He changed his mind after a flurry of calls from fellow Republicans and a personal appeal from Trump. John Geer, a longtime political science professor at Vanderbilt University, speculated that Republicans, without any other strong candidates, asked Green to reconsider as he was set to fight off a challenge from former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry. 'They might have been worried a little bit that Megan Barry might win,' he said. Geer said it's unclear who would run for his seat now, but any new candidate will be quickly bolstered by Lee and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee. A typical low turnout for special elections could help a Democratic candidate, but Geer said it will depend on the political climate later this year, and the climate is changing fast. 'It's a longshot, but if the public is really angry and there is a Democrat that is viewed as a moderate, there could be a chance,' he said. Kent Syler, a political science and public policy professor at Middle Tennessee State University, said Barry ran a spirited and well-funded campaign against Green but still had relatively low turnout at 38%. Syler said Tennessee's 7th Congressional District contains an interesting mix of urban, suburban and rural voters, which poses a challenge for Democrats since they typically do better in urban areas. 'That dynamic will make it very difficult for a Democrat to take this seat,' he said. 'That being said, this race is going to be far more about Donald Trump than it is about the two candidates.' Green serves as chair of the Homeland Security Committee, and it's unclear how his departure will impact a Congressional investigation into Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell for allegedly obstructing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. The investigation is set to be led by the House Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees. A former U.S. Army major, Green was first elected to office in the Tennessee General Assembly, where Trump tapped him in 2017 to serve as Secretary of the Army. The move, however, sparked a backlash over comments he made about LGBTQ+ groups and Muslim religious practices. Green has said comments were misconstrued, but he withdrew his candidacy. During his time in Congress, Green was an advocate for legislation affecting U.S. soldiers and veterans. His first bill after being sworn into Congress was the Protecting Gold Star Spouses Act to allow Coast Guard Gold Star Spouses to continue receiving stipends via the Survivor Benefits Plan. He advocated against the mandated COVID-19 vaccine for military members and fought for those who did not comply to be honorably discharged. Tennessee and Montgomery County Republicans have praised his service as news of his retirement spread. Tennessee GOP Chairman Scott Golden said Green was both a friend to him and the Republican Party. "Congressman Mark Green is a true American patriot,' Golden said. 'He has served in the Army, served as a doctor, served Tennessee in the State Senate, and served our Country in Congress.' Aron Maberry, freshman representative in the Tennessee General Assembly, commended Green's work. "Mark has really fought hard for District 7 and has done a lot of great things in Washington, D.C., and stood with our president," Maberry said. "I'm thankful for his services to our nation, in Tennessee and Montgomery County." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Sen. Mark Green's retirement leaves open field for Republicans and a 'longshot' for Democrats
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Coward' Elon Musk Mocked On His Own Platform After Bending The Knee To Trump
Elon Musk went into damage-control mode early Wednesday as he tried to mend fences with President Donald Trump after their spectacular falling-out last week. And his critics are mocking his public show of fealty on his own platform. Musk spent some $291 million during the 2024 election cycle, most notably to help Trump, according to and became a constant presence by his side. Once in office, Trump put Musk in charge of the 'DOGE' initiative to cut government spending. But Musk left his role, attacked Trump's signature 'big beautiful bill' as a 'disgusting abomination,' and went scorched-earth against his one-time ally in a series of posts on X last week. Musk wrote that Trump won't release the files of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein because the president is named in them, shared a post in support of impeaching Trump and replacing him with Vice President JD Vance, and floated the creation of a third political party. Trump in turn threatened repercussions for Musk's businesses and warned him of 'serious consequences' if he backed Democrats for office. But Musk blinked on Wednesday. He wrote that he regretted some of his posts about Trump and said some of them 'went too far.' He also deleted many of those messages. His critics fired back:
