Ronald Reagan's Daughter Endorses Competency Tests For Presidential Candidates

Patti Davis, the daughter of late former President Ronald Reagan, endorsed the concept of requiring presidential candidates to undergo cognitive tests, saying “it would probably be a good idea.”

Her father was the oldest person ever elected president when he first assumed office at 69 years old.

That record has since been broken, first by former President Donald Trump who was inaugurated at age 70 in January 2017, followed by President Joe Biden who was 78 years old when sworn in office in January 2021.

In an interview with NBC’s “Meet The Press” broadcast Sunday, Davis was asked whether there should be mental competency tests for those seeking to lead the country.

“Probably,” Davis replied. “Yeah. I mean, in just what we know about what age can do. It doesn’t always do that, but it would probably be a good idea.”

Davis recalled her dad leaving office at age 77, after having served two terms in office.

“It seems so young now, doesn’t it?” she asked.

Davis, who had a challenging relationship with her father for many years and opposed some of his policies while he was still in office, has previously said the two reconnected after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Reagan died in June 2004 at 93 years old.

Davis told NBC’s Kristen Welker that her father would be “appalled” with the current state of American politics and “would be really scared for our democracy.”

“He didn’t understand lack of civility,” Davis said. “He didn’t understand attacking another person. I mean, he could be, you know, pretty pointed in what he would say about someone else. But he didn’t understand cruelty. And that’s what we’re dealing with now. And I think he wouldn’t understand that.”

Davis was the first of two children Reagan had with Nancy Reagan.