Donald Trump has pushed back against a report suggesting he is showing signs of fatigue, insisting that his energy remains strong and that he recently received what he called a “perfect physical exam.”
A New York Times article noted that the 79-year-old president appeared to fall asleep during a White House event earlier this month and said “his battery shows signs of wear.”
The report also said Trump’s public schedule has shrunk by 39 percent compared with the same period in 2017, his first year in office, with most events now occurring between midday and 5 p.m. While he is traveling abroad more frequently, the piece added, he is making fewer domestic trips.
So far this year, Trump has taken eight international trips, compared with four during the first year of his first term.
Health concerns and visible bruising
The president’s health has drawn increased attention this year, particularly after photos circulated showing bruising on his right hand in February, July and August.
In July, the White House released a memo stating that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which his physician described as “benign and common.”
In January, Trump became the oldest person ever inaugurated as president of the United States. During his campaign against Joe Biden, he repeatedly claimed that his then-81-year-old opponent was not mentally or physically capable of handling the demands of the office.
Trump says his energy is unchanged
Trump, who often boasts about his stamina, responded to the Times article on Wednesday morning in a lengthy Truth Social post, firmly denying that he is slowing down and labeling the newspaper an “enemy of the people.”
“The Radical Left Lunatics in the soon to fold New York Times did a hit piece on me that I am perhaps losing my Energy, despite facts that show the exact opposite,” he wrote.
He concluded the post by saying: “There will be a day when I run low on Energy, it happens to everyone, but with a PERFECT PHYSICAL EXAM AND A COMPREHENSIVE COGNITIVE TEST (‘That was aced’) JUST RECENTLY TAKEN, it certainly is not now! GOD BLESS AMERICA & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
MRI sparks fresh speculation
Earlier this month, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan as part of his “standard” physical last month and that “the result was outstanding.”
The disclosure fueled further speculation about his health, particularly since no details were provided about why the MRI was performed.
“Getting an MRI is very standard. What, you think I shouldn’t have it? Other people get it…I had an MRI. The doctor said it was the best result he has ever seen as a doctor,” Trump said.
When asked what exactly the scan was meant to evaluate, he replied: “I have no idea what they analyzed, but whatever they analyzed, they analyzed it well, and they said that I had as good a result as they’ve ever seen.”
Trump has also lost weight in recent years. In 2020, when he was hospitalized with COVID, he weighed 244 pounds. This year, his weight has dropped to 224 pounds.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told the Times: “Unlike the Biden White House, who covered up Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and hid him from the press, President Trump and his entire team have been open and transparent about the president’s health, which remains exceptional.”
