Poll: Trump demonstrates stronger cognitive, communication skills compared to Biden

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

A majority of American voters say President Donald Trump has demonstrated better cognitive and physical skills during his second term compared to former President Joe Biden, according to a new poll.

The Center Square Voters’ Voice poll surveyed American voters on several issues, comparing the two leaders, including their cognitive ability; judgement and decision-making; ability to perform the day-to-day activities of the president; and transparency in the media.

The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll was conducted by Noble Predictive Insights between March 2-5, 2026. The poll sample included 2,659 respondents, comprised of 952 Republicans, 934 Democrats, and 773 Independents, of which 330 are True Independents, which Noble Predictive refers to as independents who, when asked if they leaned toward one of the major parties, chose neither. It is among the most comprehensive tracking polls in the country.

On cognitive ability, 56% of voters say Trump has demonstrated better cognitive skills than Biden, at 44%. Eighty-eight percent of Republicans view Trump’s cognitive skills better than Biden’s, while 58% of independents agree and only 24% of Democrats agree.

Similarly, 54% of voters believe Trump has shown a better ability to carry out the day-to-day activities of the presidency, compared to 46% for Biden. Eighty-nine percent of Republicans agree compared to only 19% of Democrats; however, 55% of independents agree that Trump has shown better stamina.

When it comes to judgment and decision-making, 51% say Trump shows stronger judgment and decision-making skills than Biden, while 49% believe the opposite. Eighty-seven percent of Republicans view Trump’s judgment and decision-making skills more favorably, while 16% of Democrats and 49% of independents agree.

Lastly, 51% of voters believe Trump has demonstrated greater transparency and communication with the media than Biden, compared to 49% for Biden. Eighty-six percent of Republicans believe the current president has shown better transparency and communication skills with the media, while only 17% of Democrats and 48% of independents agree.

While the two leaders are only a few years apart in age, Biden’s presidency was marred by questions about his cognitive and physical abilities – ultimately leading him to drop out of his reelection campaign for president in 2024 after a poor debate performance against Trump.

Biden’s cognitive health during his four years as president has been the subject of congressional investigations, with several of his top advisors called to be interviewed by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Oversight Committee.

While Trump only scored slightly higher than Biden on transparency and communication with the media, there is a stark contrast between the two leaders’ communication styles with the media.

Biden preferred more formal, structured press conferences. At the same time, Trump is known for fielding questions from reporters during Oval Office events and White House roundtables, and even taking direct phone calls from reporters while on the golf course.

At the end of Biden’s presidency, he broke the record for any president in modern history on the number of vacation days taken during his four years in office. The Republican National Committee tallied that the former president spent 577 days on vacation during his four years in office.

Trump, on the other hand, is known to prefer working vacations, as evidenced by overseeing the recent military strikes on Venezuela and Iran from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla.