President Donald Trump’s medical assessment is due to be published today (11 April), with questions raised as to what exactly will be included in the report, especially given the shocking claims previously made by the Republican’s doctor.
Taking to social media, President Trump, who is the oldest person in US history to assume office for a second term, declared: “I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!”
The 78-year-old POTUS, who was already 70 when he first took office, has long been criticised for his secrecy over his health. At the time of his second White House victory, President Trump hadn’t released any substantial health data since 2015, despite vowing in August 2024 to publish the findings of a recent examination.
This is despite such information being commonly disclosed among presidents. Although there is no legal requirement regarding a president’s health requirements, and indeed no law that they have to share anything, it’s, of course, natural that the American people would wish to be assured that their leader has the physical and mental strength to deal with the rigours of such an important job.
Interestingly, despite his own notable lack of transparency, President Trump would regularly take aim at the physical fitness of presidential rival President Joe Biden, who he mockingly referred to as “Sleepy Joe”.
In 2015, ahead of his first presidential bid, President Trump produced a glowing doctor’s letter that described his health as “astonishingly excellent”, praising the businessman turned politician’s “extraordinary” strength and stamina.
The letter penned by Dr. Harold N. Bornstein, read as follows: “To Whom My Concern: I have been the personal physician of Mr Donald J. Trump since 1980. His previous physician was my father, Dr Jacob Bornstein. Over the past 39 years, I am pleased to report that Mr Trump has had no significant medical problems.
“Mr Trump has had a recent complete medical examination that showed only positive results. Actually, his blood pressure, 110/65, and laboratory test results were astonishingly excellent. Over the past twelve months, he has lost at least fifteen pounds, Mr Trump takes 81 mg of aspirin daily and a low dose of a statin. His PSA test score is 0.15 (very low). His physical strength and stamina are extraordinary.”
The letter, which asserted that the fast-food-loving Trump would be “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency”, continued: “Mr Trump has suffered no form of cancer, has never had a hip, knee or shoulder replacement or any other orthopaedic surgery.
“His only surgery was an appendectomy at age ten. His cardiovascular status is excellent. He has no history of ever using alcohol or tobacco products. If elected, Mr Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.”
However, things took a shocking turn in 2018 when Dr Bornstein alleged that President Trump had dictated the wording of the letter to him, which he wrote in just five minutes. Dr Bornstein claimed to CNN: “He dictated that whole letter. I didn’t write that letter. I just made it up as I went along.”
Describing the letter-writing process as an example of “black humour”, Manhattan-based Dr Bornstein recalled the series of events as being “like the movie ‘Fargo’: It takes the truth and moves it in a different direction.” The White House did not publicly respond to Dr Bornstein’s claims that the wording had been dictated by President Trump.
In a separate interview with NBC News, Dr Bornstein alleged that, in February 2017, President Trump’s bodyguard, Keith Schiller and two other men had carried out a “raid” on his office, seizing POTUS’s medical records. Dr Bornstein, who had been Trump’s personal physician for more than 35 years, recalled how the incident had made him feel “raped, frightened and sad”, stating: “They must have been here for 25 or 30 minutes, it created a lot of chaos.”
According to Dr Bornstein, the aides took with them the only copy of President Trump’s medical charts, including lab reports. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders later stated that this incident had not been a raid, insisting that it was “standard procedure” for the White House Medical Unit to take hold of a president’s medical records.
In 2018, Dr. Ronny Jackson, who conducted President Trump’s first White House physical exam, declared he was in “excellent health”, remarking that there was “no indication” of “any cognitive issues”. Putting the president’s “very, very good health” down to his genes, Dr Jackson told members of the press: “It’s called genetics. Some people just have great genes. I told the president if he had a healthier diet over the last 20 years he might live to be 200.”
The doctor did, however, assert that he would work with President Trump to establish an exercise routine, and would be encouraging improvements to his diet. POTUS is known for enjoying treats over a balanced diet, with McDonald’s and ice cream being his particular favourites.
Now, an expert has expressed some concerns over President Trump’s health, remarking on his substantially leaner physique. Earlier this month, Trump looked notably slimmer in photographs snapped as he walked towards Marine One. It’s been suggested that Trump has lost an impressive 30lbs (2st) since 2022 by making healthier changes to his diet.
However, Treated.com’s clinical lead, Dr Daniel Atkinson, has warned that significant weight loss could indicate a serious health issue. Dr Atkinson told the Irish Star: “For a hypothetical person, who has taken on the office of President of the United States for a second term, at the age of 80, there might be several factors that could affect their weight.
“An almost 80-year-old with a busy schedule might be more susceptible to certain conditions that can cause weight loss. Diabetes, for instance, can trigger weight fluctuations when the condition is uncontrolled. Blood sugar can become more difficult to regulate as we age, and insulin resistance can develop with age.”
This does not suggest that President Trump has diabetes, and no public comment has been issued by the White House regarding his weight loss in recent months.
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