Trump had ‘preventative’ MRI of heart, abdomen: White House
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Throughout his time in public life, US President Donald Trump and his doctors have often praised his health in extraordinary terms.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump received a “preventative” MRI of his heart and abdomen that showed “normal” organ functions, the White House said amid mounting questions about the 79-year-old president’s health.
“This level of detailed assessment is standard for an executive physical at President Trump’s age and confirms that he remains in excellent overall health,” White House physician Sean Barbabella wrote in a letter released on Dec 1.
The White House had previously declined to explain why Mr Trump had an MRI during a physical exam
Mr Trump’s cardiovascular imaging was “perfectly normal” and showed “no evidence of arterial narrowing impairing blood flow or abnormalities in the heart or major vessels,” Dr Barbabella wrote. The heart chambers are also “normal in size” and “vessel walls appear smooth and healthy” with “no signs of inflammation or clotting,” according to the letter.
Abdominal scans also showed “all major organs appear very healthy and well-perfused” and “everything evaluated is functioning within normal limits with no acute or chronic concerns,” the letter said.
It’s unusual for people to undergo MRIs during routine physical exams, and the decision to give one to Mr Trump and the relative lack of public information about it created pressure on the White House to share more details.
Mr Trump has been spotted with swollen ankles and a persistent bruise on his right hand, which at times appears to have been covered with makeup. The White House said in July that Mr Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition tied to swelling in the legs, but that physicians had otherwise found the president to be in “excellent health.”
Mr Trump had told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had “no idea” what body part got the scan.
“It was just an MRI,” the president said. “It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”
Mr Trump in recent months has also been sitting more frequently during Oval Office events and has occasionally appeared to briefly doze off when other officials or guests are speaking.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt used the top of her press briefing on Dec 1 to outline Mr Trump’s “very busy week ahead” and note that reporters would “be seeing and hearing from the president every day this week.”
Mr Trump in January became the oldest president ever sworn into office
Throughout his time in public life, Mr Trump and a series of doctors have often praised his health in extraordinary terms, while neglecting to provide certain granular details about his physical exams.
During the 2024 campaign, Mr Trump hammered then-president Joe Biden, the oldest man to serve as commander-in-chief, saying he lacked the stamina and mental capacity to do the job. Mr Biden ultimately dropped out of the race due to concerns about his mental acuity that escalated after a shaky debate performance. BLOOMBERG
