Trump Lashes Out At End Of ‘Nasty’ Time Interview As He Challenges Them To Cognitive Test
President Donald Trump lashed out at Time Magazine interviewers and challenged them to a cognitive test after they pressed him about running for a third term.
The magazine published a profile of Trump pegged to the 100th day of his second term in office, which included an interview conducted by Time Senior Political Correspondent Eric Cortellessa and Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs.
Among the many newsworthy exchanges was a passage in which Trump suddenly lashed out at the “nasty” interview while he was waxing braggadocious about his cognitive test in response to a question about running for an unconstitutional third term.
He may have been triggered by their failure to ask him about the decrease in border crossings:
TIME: When we spoke to you a year ago, we asked whether you would challenge the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms. You said, and I quote, “I’m going to serve one term. I’m going to do a great job, and I’m going to leave.” What changed?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I’m serving two terms now.
TIME: You meant one in addition to the one you already served.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You mean one more. I have more people begging me to run again, but I haven’t looked at even the possibility. But the only thing that’s changed is they think I’m doing a great job, and they like the way I’m running the country. They have a border, which you didn’t ask about, that’s virtually totally closed. The best border we’ve ever had.
TIME: Border crossings are down substantially.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, I mean, it’s, it’s really, people can’t believe it. They interviewed some farmers, really beautiful people that lived on the other side. They were being drawn into fights and horror shows, and now, I mean, it was dangerous. One of them got very badly injured, and by an illegal migrant that came across. And they asked him, How is it now? He said, ”Thank God for Donald Trump. It’s the best it’s ever been. And I’ve lived here for 50 years.”
TIME: You recently said you were “not joking” about seeking a third term and that there were methods to do it. What methods?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I’d rather not discuss that now, but as you know, there are some loopholes that have been discussed that are well known. But I don’t believe in loopholes. I don’t believe in using loopholes.
TIME: You wouldn’t run as vice president to J.D. Vance?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don’t know anything about, what, look, all I can say is this, I am being inundated with requests. I’m doing a good job. Great physical exam, and unlike every other president, I took the cognitive test and I aced it 100% and I bet you guys couldn’t get 100% on that exam. It’s a tough exam. You know, when you get into the mid questions, it gets to be pretty tricky and pretty tough, and the last questions are very tough, and I aced it. And I guarantee, I’d give you, I’d make a big, beautiful bet that you guys couldn’t ace it. But anyway. But look, it’s good to have you, it’s a very nasty interview. They don’t ask any of the good things.
The president has long bragged about his performance on a cognitive test that doctors use when they think someone might have traumatic brain injuries or other impairments. This was the genesis of the viral moment in which he immortalized the words “Person, man, woman, camera, TV” in a Fox interview.
