President Joe Biden has signs of dementia, renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson told the Daily Caller, basing his informal assessment on footage of the president’s speech and behavior.
Biden — the oldest president in American history — has refused to publicly undergo a mental acuity test, despite polls indicating that a majority of Americans are “concerned” about his mental health. Fifty-four House Republicans called on Biden in July to take a cognitive test amid the “concern,” and said that all presidents should follow the example of former President Donald Trump in publishing the results.
When pressed on why he has not taken the test, Biden attacked the question, saying, “Why the hell would I take a test?” and telling the reporter that it’s the same as him taking a cocaine test.
Biden being combative about taking a mental acuity test is a sign that he could be suffering from cognitive decline, Carson said, adding that he thinks Biden “is pretty sure the [records] won’t show what he wants them to show.”
“That’s so typical of people in early stages of decline, to become aggressive and very defensive about who they are. It tells you that they know a little bit about what’s going on. They don’t want you to know,” the former presidential candidate said. (RELATED: POLL: Less Than Half Of Americans Say Biden Is Mentally Stable Enough To Serve As President)
Other signs of concern include Biden seeming to not be aware of his surroundings, seeming to be confused, not having the ability to “screen” what he says, Carson said.
Carson also highlighted several instances of Biden “lacking inhibitions” when it comes to interacting with women and children, including his family members, in public settings.
“That’s so sad. I actually feel sorry for him, because it’s clear that he’s not in contact with what he wants to be able to say,” Carson said, while watching footage of Biden stumbling through sentences.
The president’s racially insensitive comments towards black people, including him saying, “if you have a problem figuring out if you’re for me or Trump, you ain’t black,” is a “classic example of someone not having the ability to screen what he says,” Carson said.
“That’s probably one of the most racist statements ever made in the history of politics,” he added.
Carson called on Biden to take a mental test, saying, “there are a lot of people that are not satisfied with the amount of medical material that’s been released, particularly about his mental status.”
“We would be smart as a nation, quite frankly, to require an annual mental status examination for our leaders. I mean we’re talking about people who have their hand on the button,” Carson said.
The White House did not immediately respond to an inquiry from the Daily Caller.