House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, said he supports a congressional investigation into President Donald Trump’s health, arguing that the White House has failed to be fully transparent.
Why It Matters
Trump, 79, became the oldest person to assume the presidency when he returned to office last January. Although he has repeatedly insisted he is in excellent health, questions about his age and stamina have persisted. A recent Wall Street Journal report cited several alleged indicators of aging, including delicate skin and hearing difficulties.
What to Know
Jeffries, a vocal critic of Trump who could become House speaker if Democrats regain control in the November midterm elections, addressed the issue during an interview with Aaron Parnas. A clip of the exchange was later shared on X.
Jeffries said the White House is “definitively” not being transparent about the president’s health and suggested that Representative James Comer, the Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Oversight Committee, should face questions about why Congress has not pursued an inquiry.
“I don’t believe that this is something that should wait until the American people give Democrats the majority in the aftermath of the November election later on this year,” Jeffries said.
He added that Congress, as a separate and coequal branch of government, has a responsibility to ensure accountability regardless of party. “We don’t work for Donald Trump. We don’t work for JD Vance. We don’t work for their billionaire donors. We work for the American people,” he said, arguing that lawmakers should press the administration to be forthcoming about the president’s ability to perform his duties at the level voters expect.
The Wall Street Journal report also claimed that Trump takes a higher dose of aspirin than his doctors recommend and has asked staff to schedule meetings less frequently, though Trump has denied that the change reflects a need to slow down with age.
The White House has consistently maintained that Trump is in good health. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previously told Newsweek that the president is “the hardest-working” leader the country has had, adding that he works “around the clock, seven days a week.”
Questions surrounding presidential health have become a recurring political issue. Former President Joe Biden faced similar scrutiny during his term, which intensified after a widely criticized debate performance against Trump and ultimately led to his withdrawal from the 2024 race. Before that debate, many Democrats had dismissed concerns about Biden’s condition.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday: “The White House doctors have just reported that I am in ‘PERFECT HEALTH,’ and that I ‘ACED’ (meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for the third straight time, my cognitive examination, something which no other president, or previous vice president, was willing to take.”
What Happens Next
Republicans have not signaled any plans to investigate the president’s health, leaving the prospect of congressional scrutiny uncertain as the midterm elections approach.
