By Ginika Igboke
President Donald Trump said in an interview published Jan. 1 that he is healthy, pushing back on speculation sparked by a medical scan he underwent late last year.
“In retrospect, it’s too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition,” Trump told The Wall Street Journal, referring to an examination in October 2025. “I would have been a lot better off if they didn’t, because the fact that I took it said, ‘Oh gee, is something wrong?’ Well, nothing’s wrong.”
Trump, 79, is the second-oldest president to serve in office, after Joe Biden, who was 82 when he left office in January 2025.
The president was examined at Walter Reed Medical Center on Oct. 10, 2025. The evaluation included advanced medical imaging, which Trump initially described as an MRI but later clarified was a computed tomography (CT) scan.
“It was perfect,” Trump said at the time.
White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella said the scan was conducted to rule out cardiovascular issues and returned normal results. Barbabella has repeatedly stated that Trump is in “exceptional health” and fully capable of carrying out his duties as commander in chief.
In a statement following the 2025 examination, Barbabella said the president showed strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance. He added that Trump’s cardiac health was comparable to that of someone roughly 14 years younger and that there were no restrictions on his daily activities.
Over the summer, Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after photographs showed swelling in his ankles. Additional images showing bruising on his hands were attributed by the White House to soft-tissue irritation from frequent handshakes and the use of aspirin as a preventive cardiovascular measure.
Trump told the Journal that his aspirin regimen contributes to the bruising and that doctors have advised him to reduce his dosage, advice he has declined to follow.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump said. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart.”
Vice President JD Vance, 41, said in a 2025 interview that Trump is in good health, adding that he is prepared to assume the presidency if “there’s a terrible tragedy.”
No major candidates have declared for the 2028 presidential election, though Vance has recently received several endorsements, including from Erika Kirk, chair of Turning Point USA and the widow of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Original article
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