Trump’s Health: Declared “Excellent,” but Controversial Claims

Donald Trump is in “excellent health,” according to a White House doctor’s assessment, following his latest medical checkup. The 78-year-old Republican Trump has repeatedly touted his vigor since returning to the presidency, while mocking his 82-year-old Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, as frail and mentally unfit for office. “President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” stated a physician’s letter shared by the White House. It noted some abnormalities, including minor sun damage to Trump’s skin, and scarring on his right ear from a gunshot wound sustained in an alleged assassination attempt last July. A colonoscopy last year revealed Trump had diverticulosis—small pouches in the colon—and a benign polyp, with a follow-up exam recommended in three years. Trump is reportedly taking four medications: two for cholesterol control, aspirin for cardiac prevention, and a steroid skin cream. The overall report praised Trump’s health, citing his “active lifestyle” and “frequent victories in golf events,” a common boast of the billionaire, who also abstains from alcohol and cigarettes. However, he is known to indulge in fast food and enjoys well-done steaks, though he appears noticeably thinner than during his first term. The latest report listed his current weight at 224 pounds (101.6 kilograms), down from 243 in 2019. Trump stated on Friday that he felt “in very good shape” after his exam at Walter Reed military hospital. “I took a cognitive test. I don’t know what to tell you other than I got every answer right,” he told reporters on Air Force One. Trump has faced accusations of a lack of transparency regarding his health, despite significant public interest in the well-being of the US president. The White House had previously indicated that presidential physician Sean Barbabella would provide details of the physical and that a full report would be released. However, Trump’s personal and White House doctors have made questionable claims about his health in the past. In 2015, during his first presidential campaign, his doctor Harold Bornstein issued a letter claiming Trump “unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” Bornstein later admitted that Trump himself “dictated that whole letter. I didn’t write that letter.” His White House doctor during his first term, Ronny Jackson, suggested in 2018 that with a healthier diet, Trump could “live to be 200 years old.” Jackson’s report at the time suggested Trump should lose 10 to 15 pounds but deemed him generally in “excellent health,” noting no signs of “any cognitive issues.” A year later, an exam found the 6-foot-3 (1.9 meter) Trump weighed 243 pounds, up seven pounds since shortly before taking office, technically classifying him as obese. Age became a significant issue in the 2024 election, where Trump and Biden, the oldest major party candidates in US history, competed. Biden withdrew from the race after a perceived weak performance in a TV debate against Trump in June, raising concerns about his cognitive health.