Donald Trump’s recent MRI sparked widespread curiosity about his health and raised concerns about whether the president might be dealing with a serious medical condition. White House physicians have insisted that isn’t the case, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has echoed that message. On Wednesday, Leavitt shared additional details about Trump’s MRI and offered a new update on his condition.
Many people felt both uneasy and caught off guard when the White House announced in October that President Trump had undergone an MRI. On October 10, Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella, issued a memo explaining that the president had completed “advanced imaging, laboratory testing, and preventive health assessments.”
He wrote that the “comprehensive laboratory studies performed during the visit were outstanding, including stable metabolic, hematologic, and cardiac parameters.” Trump also received his yearly flu shot along with an updated COVID-19 booster.
“President Trump continues to demonstrate excellent overall health,” Barbabella stated. “His cardiac age, a validated assessment of cardiovascular vitality derived from an ECG, was determined to be roughly 14 years younger than his actual age.”
Shortly afterward, Trump confirmed to reporters aboard Air Force One, as he traveled to Japan, that he had indeed undergone an MRI.
“We had an MRI, MRI and the machine, you know, the whole thing, and it was perfect. Nobody has ever given you reports like the ones I shared, and if I thought the results would be bad, I’d either tell you plainly or I wouldn’t run. I’d choose something else. But the doctors said these were some of the best reports for someone my age. Some of the best they’d ever seen.”
The White House provides an update on Trump’s MRI
For weeks, the White House has avoided offering much specific information about Trump’s medical status, other than insisting he is in “extraordinary” condition. Repeated questions about the MRI and what exactly doctors were evaluating have surfaced at numerous press briefings. On Wednesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the topic again after being asked about it.
She said the president “remains in exceptional physical health,” despite public concerns in recent months, including photographs that showed Trump with swollen ankles and bruising on his hands.
“As stated in the memo released on October 10th, President Trump underwent advanced imaging at Walter Reed Medical Center as part of his routine physical examination,” Leavitt said. “The complete results were examined by attending radiologists and outside consultants, and they all agreed that President Trump continues to be in exceptional physical health.”
MRI technology uses powerful magnetic fields to produce detailed images of the inside of the body and can identify a wide range of medical issues. Physicians commonly order MRIs to examine the cardiovascular system, the spine, the brain, the knees, and many other areas.
Although Trump and the White House have maintained that nothing unusual occurred during the appointment, not everyone accepts that explanation.
Former White House doctor says Trump is “hiding something”
Jeffrey Kuhlman, a former White House physician who served under Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, spoke with The Hill several weeks ago and suggested that something is being concealed. He noted that if additional tests could have been completed at the White House in roughly fifteen minutes, the overall timeline for the medical visit raises questions.
“It’s about an eight-minute helicopter flight from the South Lawn to Walter Reed. So we know he had at least four hours available to receive medical care,” Kuhlmann told The Hill. “There’s a disconnect there.”
Do you believe Donald Trump is truly in “exceptional health,” or do you think he might be hiding something? Share your thoughts in the comment section on Facebook.