Since January 2025, the White House has shared limited and selective information about Trump’s health, often delaying details or offering short summaries instead of full records. He had a full physical in April and another checkup in October, which raised questions because it came only six months later. Officials would not clearly explain whether “advanced imaging” included an MRI; Trump later said he had one but did not say why. Earlier in the summer, the White House said he has a vein condition that causes leg swelling and blamed a hand bruise on handshakes and aspirin. Public moments—like France’s president correcting Trump on a basic fact in February—added to concerns about his accuracy and judgment. Polling shows most Americans expect presidents to release health information that could affect their ability to serve, which is why these gaps and mixed messages draw scrutiny.
¶ Since January 2025, the White House has limited transparency and deflected specific inquiries about Trump’s health
- After Trump’s April 11, 2025 physical at Walter Reed, the White House did not immediately release results, with the press secretary saying a readout would come later and noting that while presidents control their medical privacy, transparency has traditionally been valued. (apnews.com)
- Days later, the White House released a three-page summary declaring Trump “fully fit,” rather than providing underlying records or a physician press briefing. (washingtonpost.com)
- In October 2025, Trump made a second Walter Reed visit just six months after the comprehensive April exam, and the White House issued only a brief memo that lacked the level of detail included in April, prompting outside physicians to question the omission of specifics and the need for the follow-up. (washingtonpost.com)
- When reporters asked whether the October “advanced imaging” included an MRI, the press secretary declined to confirm; days later Trump acknowledged he had an MRI but refused to say why, and the White House did not respond to follow-up questions. (transcripts.cnn.com)
- Reuters reported the White House has minimized health concerns since the summer and has not detailed how his leg condition is being treated. (reuters.com)
- The administration restricted the Associated Press’s access to some presidential events; an appeals court allowed those restrictions to continue during litigation, reducing independent outlets’ opportunities to press for health details at tightly controlled appearances. (reuters.com)
- On July 17, 2025, the White House disclosed that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after lower-leg swelling, with tests ruling out deep vein thrombosis, arterial disease, heart failure, or other systemic illness. (reuters.com)
- The White House also addressed a visible bruise on Trump’s hand—often seen covered with makeup—attributing it to frequent handshaking and aspirin use. (reuters.com)
- In early October, the White House announced another Walter Reed checkup only six months after his extensive annual physical, an unusual cadence that prompted heightened scrutiny. (reuters.com)
- On October 27, 2025, Trump said he had undergone an MRI but would not say why, leaving unanswered questions about the indication for the scan. (reuters.com)
¶ High‑profile moments in 2025 have intensified scrutiny of Trump’s cognition and grasp of facts
- At a February 24, 2025 joint news conference, French President Emmanuel Macron publicly corrected Trump’s claim that Europe’s Ukraine aid was a “loan” Europe would get back, an unusual real‑time correction on a basic factual point. (pbs.org)
- The October memo touting “exceptional” health and a “cardiac age” younger than his actual age omitted details on the summer leg diagnosis and other specifics, and outside physicians publicly pressed for more disclosure about what was tested and why. (washingtonpost.com)
¶ Public expectations and norms underscore why these unanswered questions are legitimate
- A May 23–26, 2025 Economist/YouGov poll found that a majority of Americans believe presidents should be required to publicly release medical information that might affect their ability to serve. (today.yougov.com)
- AP’s April coverage explicitly framed presidential medical transparency as a long‑standing norm even though presidents retain privacy over their records, underscoring why delayed, selective, or diminished disclosures draw scrutiny. (apnews.com)