President Donald Trump reignited tensions with progressive Democrats on Tuesday with a provocative jab aimed at Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), suggesting both lawmakers should take an IQ test after criticizing his leadership and personal history.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One en-route to an artificial intelligence summit, Trump delivered one of his signature off-the-cuff remarks:
“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, look, I think she’s very nice, but she’s very low IQ, and we really don’t need low IQ.”
With cameras rolling, Trump added,
“Between her and Crockett, we’re going to give them both an IQ test to see who comes out best.”
He followed the comments by reaffirming his own mental fitness, referencing the cognitive exam he took as president:
“I took my test. I took a real test at Walter Reed Medical Center, and I aced it. I got every one of all those questions right.”
The comments follow weeks of escalating criticism from Ocasio-Cortez, who recently called Trump a “rapist” in a post on X, citing a Department of Justice update tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The remark appears to reference the 2023 civil trial in which a jury found Trump liable for sexual assault, but not rape, in the case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. Legal analysts have noted that Ocasio-Cortez’s description could be seen as defamatory, as it mischaracterizes the jury’s finding.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett previously clashed with Trump in May, after he labeled her a “low IQ person” during an interview on Meet the Press. In response, Crockett fired back, saying Trump was “terrified of smart, bold Black women telling the truth and holding you accountable.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, neither Ocasio-Cortez nor Crockett had responded publicly to Trump’s latest remarks, or to the tongue-in-cheek “IQ test challenge.”
The White House declined to comment when asked by Fox News Digital.
Trump’s comments come amid broader scrutiny of cognitive fitness and verbal missteps on both sides of the aisle. While he continues to tout his own cognitive test results, questions remain around President Biden’s cognitive state, especially following growing concerns from members of his own party after recent public appearances and debate performances.
