(AFP) – Donald Trump’s doctor said he was in “excellent health” but advised him to lose weight, the White House said Friday, after the US president’s annual medical check-up weeks before his 80th birthday. Republican Trump, the oldest president ever inaugurated, has repeatedly boasted about his mental and physical vigor compared to his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden.
But Trump’s medical and dental check-up on Tuesday at the Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington followed questions about his apparent sleepiness in meetings and bruising on his hand. “President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,” said Trump’s doctor, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, in a memo published by the White House. The three-page memo provides an overview of Trump’s physical examination and diagnostic testing, in which Barbabella concludes that the leader is “fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”
“Preventative counseling was provided, including guidance on diet, recommendation to take a low-dose aspirin, increased physical activity, and continued weight loss,” it said. According to the memo, Trump — who stands at six foot three inches (191 cm) tall — weighs 238 pounds (108 kilograms), 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) higher than his last full annual medical in April last year. Trump’s cardiac age is estimated to be “approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age.” Trump scored “30 out of 30” in the cognitive assessment. The president has spoken dozens of times about “acing” a cognitive test that he claims his predecessors have not taken.
Trump, who turns 80 on June 14, is on three medications, two of which are designated for cholesterol control and the third being aspirin for “cardiac prevention.” Since returning to office, the Republican has often appeared with bruising on his right hand, usually covered with make-up. “Examination of the dorsal hands revealed ecchymosis (bruising), consistent with minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking in the setting of aspirin use for cardiovascular prevention,” the memo said regarding Trump’s bruised hands. During a number of White House events, the president has also been seen apparently closing his eyes for several seconds, although he has repeatedly denied dozing off.
Last summer, the White House disclosed that he had been evaluated for swelling in his legs and diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency — a common condition in which faulty vein valves allow blood to pool, causing swelling, cramping, and skin changes. The revelation came after Trump was seen with swollen ankles on a number of occasions. The memo also noted “scarring of the right ear consistent with prior gunshot injury.” Trump was the target of an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024. A gunman fired several shots, killing a rally goer and lightly wounding the president in the ear.
Trump, for his part, said Tuesday’s medical went “PERFECTLY” in a post on his Truth Social platform shortly after the appointment. The White House later posted a picture of him on social media with the caption: “PERFECT BILL OF HEALTH!” Following the president’s check-up, US media reported that the White House had broken with precedent by not releasing the report, before it did so three days later.
The White House normally releases a summary of presidential physicals within hours or days, but the extent of the detail it gives is entirely at its own discretion. Trump has long been accused of a lack of transparency about his health — and the chronology of his various check-ups during his second term has only added to the confusion. He referred to Tuesday’s appointment as a “six-month physical,” despite the White House billing it as an annual dental and medical examination in an announcement earlier this month.
Tuesday’s medical examination was Trump’s third since returning to office last year. Trump’s last scheduled annual check-up was in April last year. But it was followed by an unannounced hospital visit that October, which the White House then also described as an annual physical.
© 2024 AFP
