North Charleston, South Carolina - Donald Trump claimed a recent gaffe he made while on the campaign trail was done "purposely," as critics argue it's a sign of his old age.

The former president gave a speech during a campaign rally on Wednesday night, where he addressed a mistake he made last month, in which he seemingly confused his presidential challenger Nikki Haley for former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and blamed her for the January 6 Capitol riots.

"It's very hard to be sarcastic when I interpose. I'm not a Nikki fan, and I'm not a Pelosi fan," he explained to the crowd. "And when I purposely interpose names, they said, 'He didn't know Pelosi from Nikki from tricky Nikki, tricky Dicky.'

"I interpose, and they make a big deal out of it. I said, 'No, no, I think they both stink, they have something in common, they both stink.'

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"And remember this: When I make a statement like that about Nikki, that means she will never be running for vice president," he added.

Trump's remarks come as Haley and other critics have been pointing to such blunders as evidence that the 77-year-old may be suffering from cognitive decline due to his old age.

While his bizarre excuse for the gaffe was satisfactory for the MAGA crowd at the event, which laughed and cheered in response, critics on social media weren't so convinced.

Many were quick to point out that Trump misused the term "interpose" - which means to "place or insert between one thing and another."

One user even joked that Trump's excuse was "pure genius," adding, "We haven't seen an orator like this since Yosemite Sam."