Former White House doctor and Republican lawmaker Ronny Jackson (Tx.) is demanding that Joe Biden take a drug test before his big debate with Donald Trump on Thursday.
"This drug test should be administered both immediately before and after the debate and should include, but not be limited to, performance enhancing drugs," Jackson wrote in a letter to White House physician Kevin O'Connor.
Jackson teased the letter during a segment on Fox News, where he speculated that Biden's week of debate prep at Camp David will be used to determine the correct dosage of "performance-enhancing drugs."
“Because we see — we have seen recently in his State of the Union address — that there was a Joe Biden that came out that was not similar at all to what we see on a day-to-day basis for the last 3.5 years," Jackson told anchor Maria Bartiromo.
“You know, he’s going to be Camp David for a full week before the debate; part of that is probably experimenting with, you know, just getting the doses just right,” Jackson said. “Because, you know, they have to treat his cognition. They have to give him something to help him think straighter."
In his letter, Jackson described Biden as "profusely sweating, yelling at the camera, not blinking, and frequently moving and gesturing with his hands at a rapid rate" during his State of the Union speech in March.
President Trump previously speculated that Biden was "high as a kite" during his angry State of the Union rant, which was seen by many as unusually energetic for the 81-year-old.
Trump has continued to stoke rumors that Biden relies on stimulants to stay alert during public events, with Trump recently suggesting his rival might be using cocaine before Thursday's CNN debate. At the same time, Trump has avoided setting the bar too low for his opponent, saying he won't underestimate him.
"Well, all I can say is this: I watched him with Paul Ryan, and he destroyed Paul Ryan,” Trump said, describing Biden's performance in 2012 during the vice presidential debate.
Of course, Biden has declined significantly over the past 12 years.
Despite widespread concern about his mental condition, Biden's physician has declared him healthy and fit for duty without administering a cognitive exam.
