Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said Sunday that both President Biden and former President Trump should be willing to take cognitive ability tests as candidates in the November presidential election.
“Look, I’d be happy if both the president and President Donald Trump were to take a cognitive test,” Schiff told NBC News reporter Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press” when asked whether Biden should take a cognitive test.
“I think both men would be willing to get tested,” Schiff said when asked again whether Biden should get tested, adding: “Frankly, I think getting tested would show that Donald Trump has some serious illness.”
Schiff’s interview comes as pressure mounts for Biden to prove he is still fit for the job after a fractious debate led to calls within his party for him to consider stepping down as a presidential candidate.
Biden gave a key interview Friday with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, where he pushed back against a question about whether he would be willing to undergo an independent medical evaluation, including neurological and cognitive testing, and make the results public.
“Look, I take cognitive tests every day. I take them every day, everything I do,” Biden said, adding that he met earlier in the day with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Stephanopoulos again questioned whether he was mentally and physically capable of serving in his role for another four years.
“I believe that. I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t believe that,” Biden said. “I’m running again because I believe I best understand what we have to do to take this country to a whole new level. We’re on the road. We’re on the road.”
A source familiar with the Biden campaign’s thinking argued after the interview aired that Biden has “demonstrated time and time again that he knows how to do this job” and that the campaign is ready to look beyond the debate.
“Ultimately, the decision will be dictated by what Joe Biden thinks is best,” Schiff said in an interview Sunday. “If he’s going to run, run with all his might and beat that motherfucker. If he passes the baton, the president should do everything he can to help the other candidate succeed.”
