President Donald Trump said Sunday that he plans to make public the results of an MRI he underwent in October, answering weeks of pressure from Democrats for more openness about his medical condition.
Speaking to reporters while returning to Washington from Florida, Trump described the exam as “perfect.” He added that he does not know which part of his body was scanned, stressing that it was not his brain because he has already taken — and says he passed — a cognitive test.
Why It Matters
Trump’s health has come under heightened scrutiny in recent months. In July, he was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a circulation issue more common in older adults. Visible bruising on his hands has also fueled speculation about his overall condition.
The White House has said the October MRI at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was part of a routine physical. Trump, however, has told reporters he had “no idea what they analyzed.”
At 78, Trump became the oldest person to assume the presidency, a benchmark later surpassed by Joe Biden. Now 79, he faces renewed attention to his fitness for office, especially after concerns about health were a key factor in Biden’s decision to exit the 2024 presidential race.
What To Know
Democratic demands for the MRI results escalated after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz posted on X calling for their release, a message that drew about 8 million views.
Walz, who ran as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024, pressed the issue again on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, questioning whether anyone undergoes an MRI without being told why it’s being done. His remarks followed a late-night social media post in which Trump attacked immigration policy and used inflammatory language about Walz and Somali American Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar.
Other Democrats and critics, including CNN commentator Adam Kinzinger, political influencer Harry Sisson, and the Democratic Governors Association, have echoed the calls for transparency.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has previously said Trump remains in “exceptional physical health” based on the imaging. In August, Vice President JD Vance also sought to reassure the public, telling USA Today: “I feel very confident the president of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term and do great things for the American people.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on Sunday:
“If you want to have it released, I’ll release it. What part of the body? It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”
Adam Kinzinger, CNN commentator, in a post on X:
“Release the MRI results.”
Trump has previously brushed off speculation about his health, writing:
“NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday said:
“Here we got a guy on Thanksgiving where we spent time with our families, we ate, we played Yahtzee, we cheered for football or whatever. This guy is, apparently, in a room ranting about everything else. This is not normal behavior. It is not healthy. And presidents throughout time have released a couple things. They’ve released their tax returns, not Donald Trump, and they’ve released their medical records, not Donald Trump…. The president’s fading physically, I think the mental capacity, again, ranting, you know, crazily at midnight on Thanksgiving about everything else. There are reasons for us to be concerned. This is a guy that randomly says the airspace over Venezuela is closed. He’s ruminating on if you could win a nuclear war. Look, this is a serious position. It’s the most powerful position in the world, and we have someone at midnight throwing around slurs that demonize our children. And at the same time, he’s not solving any of the problems. I’m deeply concerned that he is incapable of doing the job.”
What Happens Next?
The White House has not yet specified when the MRI report will be released or in what form, leaving open questions about the scope of the disclosure and whether it will satisfy critics calling for a full accounting of the president’s health.
