Lawmakers call for Biden to take cognitive test, say Americans deserve ‘absolute confidence’ in him

Dozens of Republican lawmakers are calling for President Biden to take a cognitive test citing a spate of gaffes they say call into question the 79-year-old’s fitness for the job.

Rep. Ronny Jackson, a Texas Republican who served as the presidential physician to former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, led 54 of his colleagues urging Mr. Biden to “submit to a cognitive test immediately.”

“The American people should have absolute confidence in their President, knowing that he or she can perform their duties as Head of State and Commander in Chief,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the president. “They deserve full transparency on the mental capabilities of their highest elected leader.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A similar letter last year garnered support from 37 Republican co-signers.

Mr. Jackson said his concerns over Mr. Biden’s presence of mind have only grown since last year.

In the new letter, the lawmakers note several missteps by the president, which they say could put the country at risk. They pointed to his awkwardly worded responses to questions from the press, which seemed to suggest that the U.S. would respond militarily should China attack Taiwan or that the U.S. supported the removal of Russian President Vladimir Putin from power.

“These recent gaffes are not isolated incidents, as they are part of a larger history of your actions which exemplify cognitive decline,” they wrote.

Furthermore, the lawmakers note that concern for the president’s cognitive abilities has grown among voters, not just Republican lawmakers.

A Rasmussen Reports survey from February found that 66% of voters believe Mr. Biden should submit for a cognitive test, and 56% of voters are not confident that the president is physically and mentally fit for the job.

In recent weeks, left-leaning news outlets have begun questioning who will be on the Democrat ticket in 2024, questioning Mr. Biden’s age and his ability to fulfill another term as president.

The lawmakers behind the letter say the questions raised by the outlets, which were once charitable to Mr. Biden, are notable and suggest the concerns can not be “brushed aside” as “partisan political attacks.”

“To obtain the level of transparency that the American people deserve, we once again urge you to submit to a cognitive test immediately,” the lawmakers wrote. “Further, we implore you to publish the results of this test after its conclusion, so the American people may be informed on your full cognitive capabilities, and so that you may continue this example for all Presidents going forward.”