The White House released on Sunday the results of President Donald Trump’s first annual physical examination since retaking office, revealing he is in “excellent cognitive and physical health” and “fully fit” to serve.
Trump, 78, took the physical exam on Friday at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. The comprehensive exam, which tested the president on every function including cognitive capability, lasted five hours.
“President Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function,” the exam results, written by Dr. Sean Barbabella, say in the summary. “His active lifestyle continues to contribute significantly to his well-being. President Trump’s days include participating in multiple meetings, public appearances, press availability, and frequent victories in golf events.”
“President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” the three-page document concludes.
The release of Trump’s results marks a distinct departure from the previous administration’s messaging on former President Joe Biden’s mental health.
In February 2024, the White House insisted that Biden didn’t need to take a cognitive test while claiming he passed one every day. That statement came weeks after former Special Counsel Robert Hur reported on the then-incumbent’s “poor memory” in his handling of classified documents stored in his Delaware home and his office at the Penn Biden Center located in Washington, D.C.
Biden’s lackluster debate performance last June further exacerbated concerns about whether the Democrat was fit to serve due to his rapidly deteriorating mental acuity, which mainstream media outlets largely ignored until the televised debate made it evident.
At the time, Biden said he wouldn’t take an independent medical evaluation because he underwent “a full neurological test every day” and a “full physical.” His doctor then defended the former president’s mental cognition and overall health, calling both “excellent.”
Biden’s last physical revealed he felt “well” and that the assessment “identified no new concerns.”
On the other hand, Trump’s physical shows he is in relatively better shape despite his age. His weight amounts to 224 pounds, and his resting heart rate measures 62 beats per minute, which is on the lower end of the normal range for most adults. He is taking two medications to control his cholesterol, aspirin to prevent abnormal cardiac activity, and a topical cream to treat his skin.
Notably, Trump’s hearing was found to be normal after suffering a gunshot wound to the right ear during a campaign rally last July. The only abnormality found on his head was scarring on that ear, per the results.
Regarding his neurological test, the president achieved a perfect score out of 30 points and no abnormalities were found in his mental status, reflexes, balance, and motor and sensory functions.
Following his medical check-up on Friday, Trump bragged about his health, saying he “got every answer right” on his cognitive test. The Republican took the opportunity to criticize Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, noting they refused to take the test and admitting he “wanted to be a little different” than his predecessor in his decision to take one.
“Overall, I felt I was in very good shape,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “Good heart. A good soul. Very good soul.”