Trump undergoes yearly physical amid concerns over age, health and stamina |
WASHINGTON (AP) — US President Donald Trump is getting a medical exam on Tuesday, putting his health under renewed public scrutiny after he has worked to dismiss concerns over his age and stamina.
The 79-year-old president traveled to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for what the White House described as annual preventive medical and dental checkups. It will be Trump’s fourth publicly disclosed medical exam since he returned to office for a second term, and it comes as he tries to project strength ahead of midterm elections that will test his sway with voters.
For decades, administrations have released selected results from presidential physicals, offering the public a glimpse at the commander-in-chief’s health. But the results are filtered through the White House and must be approved by the president, raising questions about what the public does and doesn’t get to see.
Trump, a Republican, turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected US president. His predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was 82 when he left office, dropping out of the 2024 presidential race amid widespread concerns that he was too old for the job.
A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted in April found that less than half of US adults think Trump has the mental sharpness or physical health to serve effectively as president.
“I think concern for the president’s physical health is probably at an all-time high, and I think advanced physical age is the No. 1 concern,” said Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman, who served as a White House physician for more than a decade under Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
For a president of Trump’s age, a complete physical would be expected to include advanced heart testing, screening for common cancers, and a cognitive assessment, along with basics like height, weight, and blood pressure, Kuhlman said.
The White House has not disclosed what the visit will entail, but expressed confidence in what it will show.
“President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises, and he remains in........