WASHINGTON — President Trump has a doctor's appointment on Tuesday. The visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center will be Trump's third in 13 months — a frequency that's raised concerns about his health. The White House announced the "routine annual dental and medical assessment" two weeks ago and characterized it as a "part of his regular preventive health care."
Trump, who turns 80 years old in June, is the oldest person to take the oath of office and he is the second oldest president in U.S. history after President Joe Biden. His age, swollen ankles and bruised hands have sparked repeated questions about the president's health and fitness.
Trump's last annual physical examination was in April of last year. Shortly after, the President told reporters he "aced" the cognitive test and the White House released a memo reporting that Trump was in "excellent health."
A few months later, he went back to Walter Reed for a "scheduled follow-up" in October — which sparked renewed concerns about his health.
By December, the White House revealed that Trump received a CT scan to further assess his "cardiovascular and abdominal health." White House physician Capt. Sean Barbabella said the president "remains in excellent overall health."
But the questions about Trump's health persisted, as footage continued to show makeup covering his bruised hands and occasional lethargy during presidential appearances. In January, Trump addressed the health issue directly and told the Wall Street Journal he regretted getting the October CT scan because of the speculation that followed and attributed the bruising on his hand to taking too much aspirin.
Mental and physical acuity played a major role in Trump's campaign for president. He often called Biden "Sleepy Joe", and criticized his ability to be Commander-in-Chief. Throughout his term, Biden visibly slowed down and increasingly made verbal slips – most notably during a presidential debate against Trump in June 2024. Biden withdrew from the presidential race less than a month later.
The White House has aggressively defended Trump's physical vitality, pointing to his packed schedule and frequent engagement with the press and world leaders. Over the weekend, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung posted repeatedly about Trump's long work day as he negotiated a U.S.-Iran peace deal.
"This man is focused and determined," Cheung wrote on X. "Can't stop, won't spot."
His cabinet members have also weighed in on Trump's health throughout his second term. During a podcast interview in January, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz reviewed Trump's medical records and found he has "the highest testosterone level that he's ever seen for an individual over 70 years old."
Presidents have unencumbered access to excellent preventive care and daily contact with White House physicians. Visits to Walter Reed are often reserved for annual physicals, advanced imaging appointments and serious illness — like when Trump got COVID-19 in 2020.
Trump's medical records over the years
Trump has been less than forthcoming regarding his health records, though there's a long history of selective medical disclosures from the White House.
Last summer, Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which occurs when veins become damaged and struggle to send blood back to the heart. The White House said in a memo that despite the diagnosis, Trump's cardiovascular health remained "excellent."
An April 2025 three-page medical report is the last detailed and public report on Trump's health.
The physical examination revealed a few "abnormalities," according to Barbabella. The first was "scarring on the right ear" from the gunshot wound sustained during the Butler Pennsylvania assassination attempt. The second was a "diverticulosis and a benign polyp" revealed during a colonoscopy in July.
The White House physician recommended a "follow-up colonoscopy in three years."
The 2025 report also showed that Trump weighs 224 pounds, 20 pounds lighter than he weighed in 2020. And his LDL — "bad" cholesterol levels — were within an "optimal" range and lower than last reported in 2020.
In July 2024, Dr. Ronny Jackson — the president's former doctor and a congressman from Texas — released a memo on Trump's health following the attempted assassination in Butler.
Jackson said Trump received a "CT of his head" and was "doing well, and he is recovering as expected."
In 2023, Trump released a brief doctor's letter that lacked detailed medical data. But it did say Trump had lost weight and that "his cognitive exams were exceptional."
During his first term, Trump took a number of physical exams and released his medical records.
In 2018, Dr. Jackson gave Trump a glowing report. He said Trump had "great genes" and that if he had a healthier diet "he might live to be 200 years old."
The White House did not respond to detailed questions from NPR about Tuesday's medical examination, but instead referred to a two-week old release announcing the Walter Reed visit. Jackson did not respond to a request for comment.
An outside doctor weighs in
Dr. Byron Lee is a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University.
"It's very common to get annual physicals when you get to his age," Lee told NPR.
Without knowing Trump's detailed medical history and records, Lee assessed the president's health in general terms.
"When we get older, there's no doubt that the risks of heart attacks and strokes becomes increased," Lee said. "But there are many people, like the president, who are very active in their eighties and maintain a busy schedule, and they do fine with it."
He went on to say that the president's packed schedule is "actually really good" for Trump's overall health. He has found active patients do well, on the whole.
But Lee would like to know more about Trump's frequent use of aspirin.
"It's actually interesting he is on [aspirin]. We don't often routinely recommend it anymore unless you have risk factors for stroke or heart disease," Lee said. "And it definitely does cause bruising."
Lee also noted that the swelling in Trump's legs and the White House's stated reason — chronic venous insufficiency — is reason for further investigation and testing.
"Fortunately, chronic venous insufficiency in itself is not that dangerous," Lee said. "It causes some swelling in your legs, particularly, but it could be a sign of other things going on."
More than anything, Lee says he hopes Trump continues to lose weight and remain active.
"He is a little overweight, and those are things that put you at high risk for heart disease," Lee said. "It would be great to hear that he's keeping his weight down."
He said, nowadays, doctors often prescribed GLP-1's — such as Ozempic — for patients of a similar age and weight to Trump.
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