When President Donald Trump visits the military hospital Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday for a planned meeting and remarks with troops, he will also “stop by for his routine yearly check up,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday. But for Trump, this “yearly” check up will come just six months after his last known medical screening in April, fueling already growing skepticism about the state of his health.
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Trump and the White House have tried to dispel rumors about Trump’s decline, but questions about his fitness and ability to lead the country have loomed, fueled in part by the appearance of bruises on his hands, swollen ankles, and apparent mental lapses. A September YouGov survey found that nearly two-thirds of Americans say that Trump’s health and age are affecting his ability to govern, while some 49% say he is experiencing a cognitive and physical decline.
The concerns come after the now-79-year-old campaigned last year against rival President Joe Biden, highlighting concerns surrounding Biden’s age and fitness. Trump set the record at age 78 years and seven months at his second inauguration in January for the oldest person to assume the Oval Office, beating Biden’s age at inauguration in 2021 by five months.
Second annual physical this year
While the White House described the visit as a “routine yearly” assessment, Trump had already gone through a checkup on April 11. Before that physical, Trump posted on Truth Social that he was to undergo a “long scheduled Annual Physical Examination,” the first of his second presidential term, adding: “I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!”
The physical, conducted and supervised by the President’s White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella, included laboratory and cognitive tests. It showed that while Trump has a history of well-controlled high cholesterol levels, diverticulosis (small, uninflamed pockets in the colon), and skin conditions, he remained “in excellent health” and is “fully fit” to execute his duties.
But the glowing assessment did not quell rumors surrounding Trump’s health.
In the summer, the White House announced that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a non-life-threatening condition involving blood vessels which could lead to serious complications if left untreated. But Barbabella wrote at the time to the White House that “no signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified.” Barbabella also said that the President’s bruises could be attributed to “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.”
It’s unclear why the President will undergo another physical, though there is a long history of Presidents being secretive about their health and trying to cover up any potential causes for concern from the public. The White House has not immediately responded to TIME’s request for comment.
A history of hiding medical records
Trump’s new checkup doesn’t guarantee any more transparency about his health: for years, Presidents have undergone annual exams and selectively released their results to the public.
That’s because Presidents aren’t required to disclose their health status, and there have been no clear, legally mandated guidelines on what health and fitness markers should be tested and presented to the public. Trump’s April health report was the first extensive report on his health since 2018, though there were sporadic updates in the past few years. On the campaign trail, Trump kept his medical records secret despite clamor to release them.
It also doesn’t help Trump’s case that his former personal doctor revealed that a stellar commendation of his health before his 2016 election was actually dictated by the then-candidate himself.
Trump, who has increasingly mused about his mortality, has repeatedly boasted about his health despite his age. “I feel the same or better than I did 30 years ago,” he told Newsmax on Monday, when he was asked how he was “holding up” given how “hard” he works.
“But let’s not even talk about it because who knows,” Trump added. “Who knows? Life is complex.”