On Friday, former President Donald Trump is undergoing his annual physical, marking a significant event that could provide the public with its first insights into his health in years. At 78 years old, Trump has recently become the oldest individual in U.S. history to be sworn in as president. In a post on his social media platform, he stated, “I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!”
Despite consistently questioning the physical and mental capacity of his predecessor, Joe Biden, Trump has not been forthcoming about his own health. This lack of transparency stands in stark contrast to the traditional expectations of presidential accountability regarding medical issues. Based on past experiences, it is likely that Trump’s upcoming physical will yield a favorable report, albeit one that may lack critical details about his health status.
The annual physical will take place at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and it represents the first public information regarding Trump’s health since the assassination attempt on him in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July. At that time, rather than releasing comprehensive medical records, Texas Representative Ronny Jackson, who served as Trump’s White House physician, provided a memo that included information about a gunshot wound to Trump’s right ear. In a subsequent interview with CBS last August, Trump expressed willingness to release his medical records, a promise that has yet to be fulfilled.
While Trump is three years younger than Biden, he was five months older than Biden during the latter's inauguration in 2021, officially making Trump the oldest president to take the oath of office. Under current laws, presidents enjoy privacy rights akin to those of ordinary citizens, allowing them significant discretion over what medical information is made public.
Modern annual physicals have historically provided insights into the health of U.S. presidents, despite previous instances of concealing serious medical issues. For example, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke in 1919, which was kept under wraps. Trump has generally chosen to offer minimal substantive details regarding his health. The last comprehensive update came in November 2023, when Dr. Bruce A. Aronwald released a letter in conjunction with Biden’s 81st birthday. This letter stated that Trump was in “excellent” physical and mental health but omitted essential information such as his weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Trump previously received treatment at Walter Reed for a serious bout of coronavirus in 2020. During his hospitalization, his physician provided an overly optimistic assessment of his condition, while White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows mentioned that some of Trump's vital signs were “very concerning.” After his recovery, it became clear that Trump had downplayed the severity of his illness, opting instead for a pre-taped remote medical evaluation and interview on Fox News Channel.
In November 2019, Trump’s visit to Walter Reed for a physical was not included in his public schedule, breaking the White House protocol of advance public notice. Three days later, he revealed that he had undergone a “very routine physical,” while his then-personal physician, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, described it as a “planned interim checkup” that was kept “off the record” due to scheduling uncertainties.
One of Trump’s most memorable comments about his health occurred during a television interview in July 2020. He attempted to demonstrate his cognitive abilities by reciting a list of five nouns—“Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV”—claiming that recalling these words in order proved his mental fitness. This incident highlights the ongoing scrutiny surrounding Trump’s cognitive health and the public's desire for clearer information.
As Trump undergoes his annual physical, many will be watching closely for any revelations about his health, hoping for a transparent update that contrasts with the secrecy that has characterized his medical history.
