Trump’s Physician says U.S. President is in ‘excellent health’ and is ‘fully fit’ to serve – The Hindu
You are logged in
Loading…
You don’t have any Active Subscription.
Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one.
Your active subscription(s)
Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription
Products you’ve access to
Additional Subscription Benefits
Account Settings
Need help with your subscription?
May 30, 2026e-Paper
The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.
First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.
Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.
Science For All The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in!
Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers
THEdge At the cutting edge of education and careers
Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there
Gender Agenda Stories from beyond the binary.
The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.
May 30, 2026e-Paper
Updated – May 30, 2026 11:38 am IST – Washington
U.S. President Donald Trump has tried to fight off public concern over his age and stamina. File. | Photo Credit: Reuters
Donald Trump's Physician says the U.S. President is in “excellent health” and is “fully fit” to serve as commander-in-chief after a medical exam held on Tuesday (May 26, 2026) at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
A report from Dr. Sean Barbabella, released late on Friday (May 29, 2026), says Mr. Trump underwent a CT scan and other heart imaging, along with cancer screenings and other preventative assessments carried out by 22 specialists.
Mr. Trump (79) said after the three-hour visit on Tuesday (May 26, 2026) that everything checked out “PERFECTLY.” The President weighed in at 238 pounds (108 kilograms), up 14 pounds (6 kg) from a medical exam in April 2025. His doctors gave him guidance on his diet, physical activity and weight loss, but concluded his “cognitive and physical performance are excellent.” With his 6-foot, 3-inch (1.9-meter) frame, M. Trump has a body mass index of 29.7. An index of 30 is considered by doctors to be obese.
The report also documented bruising on Mr. Trump's hands, explained as “minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking,” and said it was “a common and benign effect of aspirin therapy." Among the recommendations was a switch to low-dose aspirin.
Last year the White House said Mr. Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a fairly common condition for older adults that causes blood to pool in the president's legs. The report from his latest exam noted “slight lower leg swelling” but said there was “improvement from last year." His doctor reported nothing abnormal, saying Mr. Trump demonstrated strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall health.
“His demanding daily schedule, including multiple high-level meetings, public engagements, and regular physical activity, continues to support his overall well-being,” Dr. Barbabella wrote.
Mr. Trump was again given the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which is used to screen for dementia and cognitive impairment. Mr. Trump's doctors reported he scored 30 out of 30, the same that was reported last year and in 2018.
His cholesterol levels have improved significantly with the help of medication. Mr. Trump's total cholesterol came in at 143, down from 223 in 2018. It had been down to 140 last April. He takes rosuvastatin to help lower his bad cholesterol, known as LDL, and to raise his good cholesterol, or HDL. He also takes ezetimibe to help lower his LDL.
The exam, which Mr. Trump described as a six-month physical, was his fourth publicly disclosed medical exam since he returned to office for a second term. It comes as he tries to project strength ahead of midterm elections.
Past administrations have also released selected results from presidential physicals, offering the public a glimpse at the commander-in-chief's health.
But there is no law requiring Presidents to disclose their full health records, and the degree of transparency has varied by administration. Mr. Trump's past reports have been criticised for offering scant detail and for providing statistics that some medical experts have viewed with skepticism.
Mr. Trump, a Republican, turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected U.S. President. His immediate predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was 82 when he left office, dropping out of the 2024 presidential race because of widespread concerns he was too old for the job.
Mr. Trump has tried to fight off public concern over his age and stamina. He often appears with makeup covering bruises on his hands, and photographs have shown the president with swollen feet, ankles and calves.
He has recently talked about how good he feels, even as he jokes about his fondness for fast food and his minimal exercise beyond frequent golf outings. At recent public appearances, Mr. Trump has said he feels the same as he did 50 years ago.
Published – May 30, 2026 10:35 am IST
USA / Donald Trump
Copyright© 2026, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
BACK TO TOP
Terms & conditions | Institutional Subscriber
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.
