Trump in Excellent Health but Should Lose Weight: Presidential Doctor

Republican Trump, the oldest president ever inaugurated, has repeatedly boasted of his mental and physical strength compared to his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

But Trump’s medical and dental examination at Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington on Tuesday came after questions about his sleepiness at meetings and bruises on his hands.

“President Trump is in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall physical function,” Trump’s doctor, U.S. Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, said in a memo released by the White House.

The three-page memo provides an overview of Trump’s physical exam and diagnostic tests; here Barbabella concludes that the leader is “fully fit to discharge all duties as Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”

“Preventive counseling was provided, including guidance on diet, advice to take low-dose aspirin, increased physical activity and maintenance of weight loss,” he said.

According to the statement, Trump, who is 6 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 238 pounds (108 kilograms), which is 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) higher than his last annual checkup in April of last year.

Trump’s heart age is estimated to be “approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age.”

Trump scored “30 out of 30” on the cognitive assessment.

The president has spoken dozens of times about “doing well” on a cognitive test that he claims his predecessors did not take.

– ‘Shaking hands frequently’ –

Trump, who will turn 80 on June 14, uses three medications, two of which are for cholesterol control and the third is aspirin for “cardiac prevention”.

Since returning to office, the Republican has appeared with bruises on his right hand, often covered in makeup.

The note about Trump’s bruised hands said, “Examination of the back of the hands revealed ecchymosis (bruising) consistent with mild soft tissue irritation due to frequent handshakes in the setting of aspirin use for cardiovascular protection.”

During a series of White House events, the president was also seen apparently closing his eyes for a few seconds, although he repeatedly denied falling asleep.

Last summer, the White House announced that he was evaluated for swelling in his legs and diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency; This is a common condition in which malfunctioning vein valves allow blood to pool, causing swelling, cramping, and skin changes.

The statement came after Trump was seen with swollen ankles several times.

The note also noted “a scar on the right ear consistent with a previous gunshot wound.”

Trump was the target of an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024. A gunman fired several shots, killing one of the rally attendees and slightly wounding the president in the ear.

– ‘Perfect’ health –

Shortly after the appointment, Trump said in a post on the Truth Social platform that his health condition on Tuesday was “EXCELLENT.”

The White House later posted a photo of her on social media with the caption: “EXCELLENT HEALTH DECLARATION!”

Following the president’s check, US media reported that the White House broke precedent by not releasing the report three days later.

The White House normally releases a presidential physical summary within hours or days, but the extent of detail it provides is entirely at its 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 added to the confusion.

He described Tuesday’s appointment as a “semi-annual checkup,” even though the White House billed it as an annual dental and medical exam in its announcement earlier this month.

Tuesday’s medical exam was Trump’s third since returning to office last year.

Trump’s last scheduled annual check-up was in April of last year. But that was followed in October by an unannounced hospital visit for what the White House described at the time as an annual physical.