President Donald Trump was deemed in ‘exceptional health’ by his physician on Friday after he underwent a checkup at Walter Reed Medical Center.
Speculation ran wild over Trump’s swollen ankles and bruised hands, even leading to bizarre conspiracy theories questioning his well-being. Some even suggested he might have died.
On Friday, however, he spent roughly three hours at the Bethesda, Maryland hospital for a ‘scheduled follow-up evaluation.’
‘President Donald J. Trump is in excellent health, demonstrating notable strength in cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical capabilities,’ reported Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella in a memo released by the White House on Friday night.
Trump has also received his annual flu shot and a COVID-19 booster vaccine. Captain Barbabella mentioned that Trump’s heart health was assessed, revealing his cardiac age to be roughly 14 years younger than his real age.
The medical examination aimed to prepare for Trump’s imminent international trips. It included detailed imaging, laboratory tests, and preventative health evaluations.
The president is traveling to the Middle East this weekend and is scheduled to fly to Asia at the end of this month.
President Trump is in ‘exceptional health,’ stated his physician on Friday following a checkup involving various tests and preventive health checkups at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
The president’s health has been under scrutiny since his return to office, spurring even unfounded conspiracy theories of his demise and legitimate worries about markings on his hands and puffy ankles.
Trump is 79 and was the oldest U.S. president at his inauguration.
The White House this week initially described Trump’s Walter Reed visit as a ‘routine yearly checkup,’ although Trump had his annual physical in April. The president then called it a ‘semiannual physical.’
Trump’s April physical found that he was ‘fully fit’ to serve as commander in chief. The three-page summary of the exam done by Barbabella then said he had lost 20 pounds since a medical exam in June 2020 and said he has an ‘active lifestyle’ that ‘continues to contribute significantly’ to the well-being of the president.
In July, the White House announced that Trump had recently undergone a medical checkup after noticing ‘mild swelling’ in his lower legs and was found to have a condition common in older adults that causes blood to pool in his veins.
Tests by the White House medical unit showed that Trump has chronic venous insufficiency , which occurs when little valves inside the veins that normally help move blood against gravity gradually lose the ability to work properly.
At the April physical, Trump also passed a short screening test to assess different brain functions.
Presidents have large discretion over what health information they choose to release to the public.
Trump´s summary from his April exam included information about his weight, body mass index, past surgeries, mental health screenings, cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
While there, Trump also got his yearly flu shot, as well as a COVID-19 booster vaccine
When spokesperson Karoline Leavitt discussed the results of his chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis from the briefing room, she noted that the White House was disclosing details of the checkup to dispel rumors about Trump´s health.
At the time, Trump was frequently observed with bruising on his hand.
The Republican president has also repeatedly used the issue of health as a political cudgel.
At a speech given to Navy sailors last week, Trump boasted that his former White House Doctor, Ronny Jackson, who was also on the White House medical team during the Bush and Obama years, frequently praised his health.
‘He was also the doctor for Barack Hussein Obama. Have you heard of him?’
‘He was a doctor for a man named Bush. And at a press conference, they asked him, ‘Who’s in the best shape, who’s the healthiest, who’s the strongest, who’s the best physical specimen of the three?’ He said, ‘That’s easy. President Donald Trump!’
‘And I said, ‘I love this guy!”
Navy officers reacted by cheering on the president with applause and laughter as Trump continued praising Jackson.
Trump spent roughly three hours at the Bethesda, Maryland , hospital earlier Friday for what his doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, called a ‘scheduled follow-up evaluation’ that was a ‘part of his ongoing health maintenance plan’
In August, unfounded rumors started circulating online claiming that the president was sick or even died – with the hashtag ‘#whereistrump’ going viral until he appeared again in Washington
‘I said, “love him!”‘ Trump added.
‘Ronny Jackson. He’s now a congressman, you know. So, he was an admiral, he was a chief doctor — he was the whole boss of doctors — and now he’s a very, very successful congressman from Texas.
‘Thank you, Ronny, and I appreciate those words. I’ll never forget them.’
While serving as Trump’s physician, Jackson faced criticism from the president’s liberal opponents for frequently praising Trump’s health.
Back in 2018, Jackson famously claimed during a press conference that Trump ‘has excellent genes, and it’s just the way God made him.’
Jackson also added at the time, ‘I told the president that if he had a healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old.’
He repeatedly questioned the mental and physical health of his Democratic predecessor, President Joe Biden, and pointed out that he has undergone cognitive testing that Biden hadn´t.
Biden has brushed aside those criticisms and said he was fit to serve, but he dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House after a disastrous debate with Trump raised doubts about his fitness for office.
In August, unfounded rumors started circulating online claiming that the president was sick or even died – with the hashtag ‘#whereistrump’ going viral.
The speculation began after several White House reporters noted the president had not been seen in public since a marathon cabinet meeting on Tuesday and had no events scheduled all weekend.
And the unfounded rumors went into overdrive after Vice President JD Vance told USA Today he was ready to step in for Trump if ‘If there’s a terrible tragedy.’
The rumors were also fanned by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who asked people to pray for Trump as he claimed without evidence, that the president was in a ‘health crisis,’ and looked like he was about to ‘collapse.’
But the rumors were quashed by Axios journalist Barak Ravid who revealed a US official had confirmed the president is in good health.
