Donald Trump recently underwent his annual medical check-up, an event that many have been keenly waiting for. At 78 years old, he is the oldest U.S. president in history. Before his exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Trump expressed on social media, “I have never felt better!”
He spent over five hours at the medical center, but details about the length or specifics of the exam weren’t immediately shared. Following the check-up, he boarded Air Force One and flew to Florida.
Trump’s approach to sharing details about his health has been less than transparent compared to his predecessor, Joe Biden, who frequently tackled questions about his own physical fitness. On the other hand, Trump has kept his health information under wraps, which has raised questions and speculation.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the results would be comprehensive and confirmed Trump was in good health, mentioning he didn’t require anesthesia for the procedure. In 2018, during his first term, a White House doctor declared Trump overall healthy but recommended he lose weight and incorporate exercise into his routine.
This latest medical exam will provide the first publicly available health information since an unsettling incident in July, when Trump survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Instead of a detailed report, the public received a vague memo from Texas Representative Ronny Jackson about Trump’s injuries.
Now, as Trump prepares for his second term, it’s noteworthy that he was older on Inauguration Day than Biden was at his. Presidents have certain privacy rights regarding medical records, allowing them to control what is disclosed.
Historically, annual physicals have given citizens insight into the health of their leaders, despite instances where serious health issues were concealed, like President Woodrow Wilson’s stroke in 1919. Trump has opted for minimal health transparency; the last detailed assessment came in November 2023, when a doctor described him as "excellent" in body and mind, but left out specific health metrics.
Trump’s infamous declaration of his mental fitness during a July 2020 interview, where he recited "Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV," illustrates his commitment to showcasing his cognitive abilities. As the political landscape evolves, public curiosity about presidential health remains a consistent theme across history.
For further reading on presidential health disclosures, you might find this National Library of Medicine article insightful.