US President Donald Trump is not only in excellent health but also in significantly better shape than his age would suggest, according to his personal physician.
Following a routine medical examination on Friday at the Walter Reed Military Hospital near the capital, Washington, the physician Sean Barbabella concluded that Trump has the heart and vascular system of a 65-year-old, despite the president being 79 years old.
Experts from various fields subjected Trump to a comprehensive health check, according to Barbabella’s final report, which was released by the White House. The result: “Trump remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance.”
As president, Trump is fully capable of completing his demanding daily schedule, the report said. Additionally, he has received several vaccinations in preparation for upcoming foreign trips, including a booster shot against coronaviruses.
In the US, it is a peculiarity of the political process that presidents regularly provide public information about their health status — not because it is legally required, but because it has developed into a ritual over the years that few incumbents can escape.
Trump, who once described himself as a “very stable genius,” is no exception.
Speculation about bruises on hands
In recent months, there has been repeated speculation about Trump’s health, as images of bruises — some apparently covered with makeup — on his hands and swollen-looking legs circulated online. Trump explained the bruises as a result of frequent handshaking, and his spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt also cited the use of blood-thinning medication as a cause.
In July, the White House announced that Trump suffers from chronic venous insufficiency, a harmless condition of the leg veins that occurs mainly in older people.
Particularly with Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, 82, the health checks always attracted some attention, as there were significant doubts about the Democrat’s mental fitness towards the end of his term.
Due to increasing opposition, Biden withdrew from the race for the White House just months before the 2024 presidential election. In January of this year, Trump then went down in history as the oldest president to take office in the United States, at the age of 78.