WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump had what he called a “semi-annual physical exam” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday.
The visit, announced by the White House earlier this week, comes as Trump prepares to travel to the Middle East following a ceasefire deal in the Israel-Hamas war. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described it as “a routine annual exam,” even though Trump had his annual physical exam in April.
Trump left the White House around 10:45 a.m. Friday and returned to the grounds at 2:15 p.m., slightly earlier than planned. He did not answer questions from reporters upon his arrival and the White House did not say when it would release results or more information about his exams.
The White House declined to explain why Trump underwent an annual physical at Walter Reed in Bethesda, Maryland, six months after his annual exam. But in an exchange with reporters on Thursday, the Republican president said it was a “semi-annual physical exam.”
“I’m meeting with the troops and I’m also going to do some kind of semi-annual physical exam, which I do,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I think I’m in great shape, but I’ll let you know.”
Trump’s investigation in April concluded he was “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief. The three-page summary of the exam conducted by his doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, said he had lost 20 pounds (9 kilograms) since a medical exam in June 2020 and said he led an “active lifestyle” that “continues to contribute significantly to the well-being of the 79-year-old president.”
In July, the White House announced that Trump had recently undergone a medical examination after noticing “mild swelling” in his lower legs and that it had been determined that he had a condition common in older adults that causes blood to pool in his veins. Tests by the White House Medical Unit showed that Trump suffers from chronic venous insufficiency, which occurs when miniature valves in the veins that normally facilitate move blood against gravity gradually lose their ability to function properly.
During the April physical exam, Trump also passed a brief screening test to assess various brain functions.
Presidents have wide discretion over what health information they make available to the public. Trump’s April exam summary included information about his weight, body mass index, previous surgeries, mental health exams, cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
And as Leavitt discussed the results of his diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency in the briefing room, she noted that the White House was disclosing details of the investigation to dispel rumors about Trump’s health. Back then, Trump was often seen with bruises on his hand.
The Republican president has also repeatedly used the issue of health as a political cudgel. He repeatedly questioned the mental and physical health of his Democratic predecessor, President Joe Biden, pointing out that he underwent cognitive tests that Biden did not.
Biden has brushed aside those criticisms and said he was fit for office, but dropped out of the race for the White House in 2024 after a disastrous debate with Trump cast doubt on his fitness for office.
