Former President Donald Trump recently lauded his own intelligence, stating he was "quite impressed" with his intellect during a speech in North Carolina. He credited himself with initiating a $1,776 "warrior dividend" check for U.S. service members, an initiative he described as a clever tweak to a previously allocated amount.
Trump recounted that the sum, initially presented as $1,775, was adjusted to $1,776 "for $1 more." He characterized this adjustment as a display of his "high-IQ" and "extreme intelligence," recalling that "everyone" had told him reaching that specific number would be impossible.
However, reports indicate that the $1,776 payment was not Trump's singular idea but a figure derived from a $2.9 billion military housing supplement that had already been allocated by Congress. The adjustment to the precise $1,776 figure appears to have been a marginal change to an already approved measure.
This is not the first time Trump has emphasized his cognitive abilities. He has previously cited his performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as evidence of his intelligence, claiming a "perfect" score. Medical professionals note that the MoCA is not an intelligence test but rather a screening tool used to detect signs of cognitive decline or dementia. The fact that Trump has taken the test multiple times has been described by some as a cause for concern.
Critics and social media users have responded to Trump's recent statements with skepticism and ridicule. Many pointed to the Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive bias where individuals with low ability at a task overestimate their ability. Others shared quotes from notable figures, such as Stephen Hawking, who reportedly stated that "People who boast about their IQ are losers."