Amid growing public curiosity and unaddressed questions about his physical and mental well-being, former and current US President Donald Trump completed his routine annual medical examination on Tuesday at a military medical facility outside Washington, just one week before he celebrates his 80th birthday. Trump, who holds the record as the oldest person ever inaugurated to the US presidency, has repeatedly positioned himself as a paragon of physical and mental fitness in public comparisons to Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, even as recent visible symptoms have spurred new scrutiny of his health. The check-up at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center came after observers raised questions about Trump’s occasional sleepiness during closed-door policy meetings and recurring unexplained bruising on one of his hands.
An AFP journalist embedded in Trump’s official motorcade confirmed the former president arrived at the hospital grounds at approximately 8:50 am local time, or 12:50 GMT. Per the publicly released daily schedule for his presidency, Trump is scheduled to convene a high-stakes policy meeting at the White House starting at 1:30 pm local time, with escalating tensions related to the Iran conflict topping the meeting’s agenda.
Historically, the White House has typically published a summary of presidential physical examinations within hours or days of the appointment, but the administration retains full control over how much specific health information it releases to the public. This lack of mandatory transparency has long been a point of criticism for Trump, who has faced repeated calls from lawmakers and public health advocates to release full, unredacted medical records throughout his political career.
This year’s examination marks Trump’s third formal medical assessment in 18 months. He completed one scheduled check-up in April of last year, followed by an unannounced, unscheduled visit to Walter Reed that October, which triggered a fresh wave of public speculation about undisclosed health issues. Last summer, the White House finally confirmed that Trump had been evaluated for persistent lower leg swelling and received a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, a common circulatory condition where damaged vein valves cause blood to pool in the lower extremities, leading to swelling, cramping, and visible skin changes. The confirmation came after multiple public appearances where Trump was photographed with noticeably swollen ankles.
Since Trump returned to the Oval Office following the 2024 presidential election, he has repeatedly appeared in public with bruising on his right hand, which his staff has confirmed is routinely covered with cosmetic makeup for public events. White House spokespeople have dismissed concerns about the bruising, attributing the marks to the daily aspirin regimen Trump takes as a preventive measure for cardiovascular health, a routine they describe as standard for older adults. Following his October 2024 check-up, Trump told reporters that an MRI conducted during the visit showed his cardiovascular health was “excellent.” His personal physician, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, even issued a public letter after that appointment claiming Trump’s “cardiac age” was roughly 14 years younger than his actual chronological age at the time. Looking ahead, Trump’s 80th birthday on June 14 is set to coincide with a high-profile Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) cage match hosted on the White House lawn, an event expected to draw thousands of attending spectators.