President Donald Trump, 79, raised questions about his longevity in a recent interview with One America News Network when asked about his outlook for the 2026 political season.
“Yeah, I have big plans — I want to survive,” Trump said. “You look at what’s going on, it’s crazy.”
The president accused “crazy Democrats” of making politics increasingly dangerous, repeating his administration’s claim that political violence is primarily a left-wing issue.
The conversation followed the Sept. 10 murder of right-wing organizer Charlie Kirk, who was shot while addressing college students in Utah. In the aftermath, the Trump administration blamed Democrats for escalating tensions in the country, portraying the political left as a domestic terrorism threat.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice quietly removed a 2024 study from its website that had found the opposite — that right-wing extremists are responsible for most domestic terrorist incidents.
“Militant, nationalistic, white supremacist violent extremism has increased in the United States. In fact, the number of far-right attacks continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism,” the study stated. It was titled What NIJ Research Tells Us About Domestic Terrorism.
Kirk’s killing was the latest in a series of violent political incidents that have affected figures across the political spectrum.
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On Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Trump later pardoned 1,500 people charged in connection with the attack on his first day in office this past January.
In 2022, Paul Pelosi — the husband of then–House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — was assaulted with a hammer in his San Francisco home. Court records show that the attacker, David DePape, shouted, “Where is Nancy?” and added, “She’s No. 2 in line for the presidency, right? We’ve got to take them all out.”
Trump himself has survived two assassination attempts. In July 2024, a sniper’s bullet grazed his ear during a Pennsylvania campaign rally.
Political violence has persisted into 2025. In April, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home was set on fire while his family was inside. Two months later, Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and state Rep. Melissa Hortman were shot in their homes. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed, while Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were injured.
Now the oldest president to serve in office, Trump has faced speculation about his health. Observers have noted recurring bruising on his right hand, which aides have said comes from frequent handshakes.
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In July, the White House said the president was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which physician Sean Barbabella described as “a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, CVI occurs when leg veins are damaged and struggle to return blood to the heart, causing blood to pool and pressure to rise in the veins. The condition affects about one in 20 adults and can result from deep vein thrombosis or other vein damage. Barbabella said Trump was cleared of deep vein thrombosis.
The diagnosis came shortly after photos of Trump at the FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey circulated widely online.
