Trump to undergo first physical of his second term
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
US President Donald Trump, 78, is known for his love of fast food but often talks about his robust physical and mental health.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON - Mr Donald Trump, the oldest person to assume the US presidency, is set to undergo his first physical examination of his second term on April 11.
Mr Trump, who turns 79 in June, is known for his love of fast food but often talks about his robust physical and mental health.
“I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!” Mr Trump wrote in a post on the Truth Social platform on April 7, announcing the planned exam.
The White House did not respond to queries about the exam and what would be included.
The physical could offer the first clear look at Mr Trump’s condition since his ear was grazed by a bullet in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.
His campaign released a report by Dr Ronny Jackson, Mr Trump’s former White House doctor, saying the injuries were superficial.
The White House typically determines what data will be released from a president’s health exam. Mr Trump is not compelled to release any information, and there is no template for the presidential exam. Mr Trump released only limited information about his health during his presidential campaigns.
During the 2024 election, Mr Trump drew sharp contrasts with his predecessor, Mr Joe Biden, now 82, claiming he was younger and fitter.
A White House doctor said in 2018 when Mr Trump was serving his first term that he was in overall excellent health but needed to shed weight and start a daily exercise routine.
Mr Trump included a cognitive exam, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, as part of his physical during his first term, and his doctor later said he scored 30 out of 30.
Mr Biden released detailed summaries of his physical exams while in office, but several books published in recent months have raised questions about his mental acuity in his final months in the White House.
The mental ability and age of both Mr Biden and Mr Trump were in focus during 2024’s election campaign, especially after Mr Biden’s disastrous performance in a debate with Trump in June, and Mr Trump’s increasingly rambling speeches at rallies. REUTERS
